Risks of alternative heating

ZANESVILLE, Ohio – Zanesville Fire Department is warning the community of the dangers behind alternative heating.

Temperatures have dropped and alternative heating has risen with people using fire places, ovens, and space heaters. Assistant Fire Chief Doug Hobson said the risk of fire increases during winter months if alternative heaters are not monitored and set up correctly.

“In their name it gives exactly what they need, 36 inches in space all the way around the space heater and we highly recommend that they be plugged directly into a wall,” Hobson said. “Not into an extension cord or any type of zip cord. With that being said it’s nice to have a heater that is [Underwriters Laboratories, U.L.] listed and you can find that tag on the cord and it has tip-over protection.”

According to the U.S. Fire Administration between 2013 and 2015 45,000 fires, $506,000,000 of property loss, 209 deaths and 729 injuries all caused by alternative heating.

“People falling on hard times and they find a way to heat.” Hobson said. “Whether they heat with their oven, a fire-place, and space heaters. They might still have electric, it’s just unsafe. The numbers don’t lie, it’s a proven fact that these alternative heat sources unfortunately are killing people.

Hobson is reminding the community to keep a working smoke detector and a carbon monoxide detector in each household. Thanks to the A.B.C. Wilson Fund the local fire stations give away smoke detectors for free.