News

New Canaan Fire Marshal: Change Your Clocks, Change Your Batteries

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On March 12 clocks were turned forward for Daylight Savings time.  In concert with the nationwide campaign “Change Your Clocks – Change Your Batteries”, The New Canaan Fire Department and the New Canaan Fire Marshal’s Office want to remind everyone to change the batteries in your smoke detectors.  By being proactive this also helps avoid that annoying “chirp” that inevitably starts at 2 in the morning. Smoke alarms with non-replaceable 10 year batteries are designed to remain effective for up to 10 years. If the alarm chirps indicating a low battery, replace the entire smoke alarm right away. When replacing a battery on the alarms that allow for that, follow a list of manufacturer’s batteries on the back of the alarm or in the manufacturer’s instructions. The smoke alarm may not work properly if an incorrect battery is used.

News

New Canaan Fire Marshal: Mark Your Location

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Many residents and business owners do not think about the importance of a well-marked location. First responders, Fire, Police and EMS may have the difficult task of locating an address in a critical situation; one that may mean the difference between life and death. In this regard it is imperative that street numbers must be displayed and visible to the street according to the Town Code. Numbers should ideally be 4 inches high with good color contrast. It is recommended by the Fire Department that both front and rear entry and exit doors be marked.

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New Canaan Fire Marshal: Fire Safety on Super Bowl Sunday

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There’s a good chance that the Sunday February 12th square-off between the Philadelphia Eagles and the Kansas City Chiefs will be the most watched Super Bowl of all time. Millions of people viewing the match up means lots of cooking and food preparation in the kitchen. Be sure to put fire safety in your line up. Kitchen Huddle
Prepare your cooking area. Use back burners or turn pot handles toward the back of the stove.

News

New Canaan Fire Marshal: Fireplace and CO Safety

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As the temperature drops as it has been, I begin to worry about a couple of things – CO poisoning and fireplace ash disposal. With the cold weather we tend to close up our homes and our heating systems are working over-time to keep up with the demand. We also want to warm up our cars before we venture out into the cold abyss. CO (carbon monoxide) is the by-product of incomplete combustion so it can be all around us; cars, boilers, furnaces, water heaters, generators, pressure washers, air compressors, gas fireplaces/logs to name a few. Following are a few tips to help keep you and your family safe during the cold weather:

Always insure fireplace damper is fully open before lighting.

News

New Canaan Fire Marshal: Taking Down Christmas Trees

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Taking down the Christmas tree isn’t nearly as much fun as putting it up. But the longer a tree stays up, the greater a fire hazard it becomes. All Christmas trees can burn, but a dried-out tree can become engulfed in flames in a matter of seconds. In a year where many people began decorating their homes earlier than usual, trees have been in homes longer than usual, presenting an increased risk of fire as the days go by. When Christmas is over or the tree begins to drop needles, dispose of it.