Wood Burning Safety

Winter is quickly approaching, bringing with it the need to heat our homes. With the change in season, The Coeur d’Alene Fire Department typically sees an increasing number of fires caused by wood heating. These fires range in severity from a small chimney fire to a large, well-involved building fire. The common theme is that these are preventable fires.

An important aspect of safe wood burning is to burn only good, seasoned wood. This is important because it will burn cleaner. Alternative fuels such as garbage and coal will not burn cleanly through a wood stove or fireplace. It is extremely important to keep your chimney clean. It is recommended that you have your chimney checked at least twice a year if you burn regularly.

The ashes of fires cause several fires each year. If you are burning in a fireplace, it is vital that you use a screen to prevent ashes from ‘popping’ out of the fireplace and starting a fire. When you clean ashes out of a fireplace or wood stove, ensure that they are cold. Place them into a tightly sealed metal container for disposal. Regular garbage cans, cardboard boxes and paper bags will catch fire quickly.

If you are installing a wood-burning stove into your home, carefully follow the manufacturers installation and maintenance instructions. A permit is required for installation within the City of Coeur d’Alene, assuring safe installation.

Please take a few moments and evaluate the way you burn wood in your home. Is it safe? Are you doing everything possible to prevent a fire in your home? If you have any further questions about fire safety in the home, please contact the Coeur d’Alene Fire Department at 769-2340.

Holiday Turkey Safety

With the Thanksgiving and Christmas Holidays coming, many people are anxiously looking forward to eating deep-fried turkey. As this is becoming a popular trend, it is also important to be aware of the safety concerns for this practice because;

· Many units easily tip over, spilling the five gallons of hot oil within the cooking pot.
· If the cooking pot is overfilled with oil, the oil may spill out of the unit when the turkey is placed into the cooking pot. Oil may hit the burner/flames causing a fire at engulf the entire unit.
· Partially frozen turkeys placed into the fryer can cause a spillover effect. This too, may result in an extensive fire.
· With no thermostat controls, the units also have the potential to overheat the oil to the point of combustion.
· The sides of the cooking pot, lid and pot handles get dangerously hot, posing severe burn hazards.

The Coeur d’Alene Fire Department wants you and your family to have a safe and happy Thanksgiving. Just follow these simple cooking and safety rules:

Deep Fried Turkey Cooking Tips:

· Follow your fryer’s instructions.
· Only deep fry smaller turkeys – up to 12 pounds.
· Use oils with high smoke points such as peanut, canola and safflower. Peanut oil adds flavor, but it can be a concern if guests have peanut allergies.
· To determine how much oil you’ll need, put the turkey in the basket and place in the pot. Add water until it reaches one or two inches above the turkey. Lift the turkey out, and use a ruler to measure the distance from the water to the top of the fryer. Pour out the water and dry the fryer completely.
· Remember it take anywhere from 20 minutes to an hour to heat the oil, depending on the outside temp. wind and weather.
· Before frying, pat the turkey dry with paper towels to keep the hot oil from spattering and popping.
· Slowly lower the turkey into the oil, and maintain an oil temp of 350 degrees F. Fry turkey for three to four minutes per pound or about 35 to 42 minutes for a 10 to 12 pound turkey.

Safety Tips:

· Turkey fryers should always be used outdoors a safe distance from buildings and any other material that can burn.
· Never use turkey fryers on wooden decks or in garages.
· Make sure the fryers are used on a flat surface to reduce accidental tipping.
· Never leave the fryer unattended. Most units do not have thermostat controls. If you don’t watch the fryer carefully, the oil will continue to heat until it catches fire.
· Never let children or pets near the fryer when in use. Even after use, never allow children or pets near the fryer. The oil inside the pot can remain dangerously hot hours after use.
· Use well insulated potholders or oven mitts when touching pot or lid handles. If possible, wear eye protection to protect from oil splatter.
· Make sure the turkey is completely thawed and be careful with marinades. Oil and water don’t mix, and water causes oil to spill over, causing a fire or even explosion hazard.
· Keep an all-purpose fire extinguisher nearby. Never use water to extinguish a grease fire. Remember to use your best judgment when attempting to fight a fire. If the fire is small, use an all purpose fire extinguisher. If it grows, immediately call 9-1-1 for help.

Change Your Clocks, Change Your Batteries

As the end of daylight savings time approaches, the Coeur d’Alene Fire Department wants to remind you to
make another change that could save your lives...changing the batteries in your smoke detectors.
Although smoke detectors are in 88%of area homes, without proper maintenance, they may not be
providing the life saving duties they were designed to provide.
The most common problem for non-working smoke detectors is worn or missing batteries. Changing smoke detector batteries is one of the simplest, most effective ways to reduce tragic death and injury to you
and your family. In fact, a working smoke detector cuts the risk of dying in a house fire by nearly half.
So when you change your clock this Saturday, change the batteries in your smoke detector.


For more information contact the Coeur d’Alene Fire Department at 769-2340.