SAFETY CORNER
Start the Year Off Safely By Weston District Fire Chief Todd Draizin
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s we wrap up the holiday season and look forward to a new year, the Weston District of The Broward Sheriff Department of Fire Rescue and Emergency Services wants to encourage homeowners to start the year off by checking their home’s electrical systems health. One of the critical features of any home is the electrical panel and is your home’s central nervous system. The electrical panel, also called the electrical breaker panel, is often found in the garage or utility room. It is the part of the electrical system that divides the electrical feed coming into your home from Florida Power and Light into separate circuit breakers. The electrical panel also protects each circuit breaker within the panel. Keeping your panel door closed will help prevent anything from falling onto any breaker or getting inside. It’s vital to maintain clear access and not to store any objects in front of your panel. Inside each electrical breaker panel are independent circuit breakers powering the different areas of your home. The circuit breakers include built-in safety measures
to help prevent electrical shorts. If overloaded, circuit breakers will trip, stopping the flow of electrical current to help prevent overheating, which may result in fire. Over time, circuit breakers themselves can degrade, or the wiring to the circuit breaker can become loose, causing a hidden short. If a circuit breaker does trip, it’s essential to identify what caused it to trip and remove that hazard. Weston District Fire Chief Todd Draizin tells us that “recently, a few homes in Weston have experienced electric panel failures.” Some manufacturer brands of electrical panels used in homes built from the 1950s through the 1990s have caused fires, injuries, or other safety concerns. These brands are Zinsco, Federal Pacific Breakers (FPE), Challenger/GTE_Sylvania (Eaton/Cutler-Hammer), Pushmatic, and Fuse Box. These brands have been recalled making them unsafe for use. It is unlikely that a homeowner with any of these electrical panels would pass a home inspection today or be
able to obtain homeowner’s insurance. Chief Draizin adds, “people need to be aware of any potential safety hazards from their home’s electrical panel and take immediate steps to make any necessary repairs.” To help ensure your home and family’s safety, check your electrical panel to see if you have any of the recalled brands. If you do have one of the recalled brands, or if yours is over 20 years old regardless of manufacturer, make it a priority to contact a qualified, licensed electrician to inspect it and, if needed, replace it. It’s essential to be aware of your home’s electrical panel’s health, any safety recalls, or known concerns to ensure your home and family’s safety. Scheduling regular inspections with a licensed electrician once per year so they can conduct a thorough examination and complete any necessary repairs will ensure your family will remain safe from the hidden hazards.
⊲ For more information, please contact District Chief Todd Draizin at Weston Fire Station #81 at 954-389-2015 or by email at Todd_Draizin@Sheriff.org.
50 / Our City Weston / January 2021 / OurCityMedia.com
