Stay Warm but Stay Safe

LIPA Reminds Long Islanders to Use Electric Space Heaters Safely

Uniondale, NY—Cold winter weather made a late arrival to the Long Island region this season. But now that frigid temperatures have arrived this often means the increased use of portable electric heaters. The Long Island Power Authority (LIPA) urges all Long Islanders to use caution and common sense when using an electric space heater to supplement home heating.

According to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, more than 25,000 residential fires every year are associated with the use of room (space) heaters. More than 300 persons die in these fires. And an estimated 6,000 persons receive hospital emergency room care for burn injuries associated with contacting hot surfaces of room heaters, mostly in non-fire situations.

“The use of electric space heaters to supplement home heating systems becomes more commonplace during periods of extreme cold,” said LIPA CEO and President Richard M. Kessel. “When not used safely electric heaters are the leading cause of home fires during the winter months, and trails only cooking equipment as the leading cause of home fires year-round. We all need to remember that electric space heaters can be very hazardous when not used safely and with common sense.”

When using portable electric heaters please make sure to:

Choose models that have automatic safety switches that turn off the unit if it is tipped over accidentally.
Always look for a label or tag indicating the heater has been tested and approved by a recognized independent testing lab.
Check the cord before plugging in the heater, if frayed, worn or broken, do not use it. Have an electrician replace the cord or replace the heater. Simply putting tape on the cord is not enough to prevent overheating and fire.
Be sure your space heater is in good working condition. All space heaters need frequent checkups and cleaning. A dirty or neglected heater is a critical fire hazard.
Keep young children away from space heaters, particularly when they are wearing nightgowns or loose clothing which can be drawn into the heater by a draft and ignited and never leave children unsupervised in a room with a space heater.
Make sure the house wiring is adequate before using an electric heater. Avoid overloading the circuit or wall socket.
Avoid using extension cords. Use an approved power strip with a built-in circuit breaker.
Do not use electric space heaters in the bathroom. Never touch an electric heater when you are wet.
Keep all heaters out of high traffic and exit areas and at least three feet away from curtains, newspapers or anything that might burn.

To avoid potential harm, LIPA encourages you to:

Equip your home with a least one smoke alarm on each floor and outside sleeping areas.
Install a CO alarm that meets the requirements of the current UL standard in the hallway near every separate sleeping area of the home.
Keep at least one dry-powder operative, ABC-type fire extinguisher in the home at all times.
Keep areas around heat sources free of papers and trash.
Store paints, solvents and flammable liquids away from all heat and ignition sources.
Develop a fire-escape plan before a fire occurs. Be certain that all members of the household understand the plan and are able to carry out the plan in case of emergency.
Be sure the plan includes a predetermined meeting place outside the house.
If your clothing does catch fire, don’t run! Drop down immediately, cover face with hands, and roll to smother the flames. Teach your family how to do this.
Have annual safety checks on all home heating equipment.

For more information about electric safety and conservation visit LIPA’s Web site at http://www.lipower.org.

LIPA, a non-profit municipal electric provider, owns the retail electric Transmission and Distribution System on Long Island and provides electric service to more than 1.1 million customers in Nassau and Suffolk counties and the Rockaway Peninsula in Queens. LIPA is the 2nd largest municipal electric utility in the nation in terms of electric revenues, 3rd largest in terms of customers served and the 7th largest in terms of electricity delivered. In 2010, LIPA outperformed all other overhead electric utilities in New York State for frequency of service interruptions, and ranked second for duration of service interruptions. LIPA does not provide natural gas service or own any on-island generating assets. More information about LIPA can be found online at: http://www.lipower.org.

Media Contact Information
Mark Gross
Phone - (516) 719-9892
Media Pager - (516) 229-7248
media.relations@lipower.org

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