City Of Marion: Fire Safety During Winter Storms

Marion IA

10 December, 2021

10:54 AM

Description

Press release from the City of Marion: 12/09/2021 11:20 AM We live in the Midwest, so we know the winter drill. Four to six months of wearing your winter hat, mittens and heavy coat, seeing your breath when you step outside and freezing temperatures. Old Man Winter will drop in for several unexpected visits. Beyond the inconvenience and discomfort, a winter storm or other severe weather conditions can cause real problems. It's important to think about fire safety during the winter months. Did you know that there are more home fires in winter than in any other season? Half of all home heating fires happen in December, January and February. This winter season, be fire smart! Know what to do before, during and after a storm. Here are a few tips from the Marion Fire Department to help keep you and your family safe from a winter fire: Keep Your Furnace Intake Pipes Clear As winter approaches, the Building Inspection Division is reminding homeowners to be safety-minded and remember to clear drifted snow away from furnace intake pipes. Keeping snow and ice away from a furnace's fresh-air intake pipes, which typically are two white plastic pipes that come out of the side of a house, is important to ensure proper operation and guard against the possibility of carbon monoxide poisoning. Snow can also build up on flat or low-pitched roofs, so residents living in a mobile home or similar house should work to clear snow off their roofs, which is typically where the fresh-air intake pipes for furnaces are located on those types of residences. This press release was produced by the City of Marion. The views expressed here are the author's own.