HOME & HEARTH

Fall and Winter Fire Safety Tips You Won’t Want to Ignore

By Erin Pittman and Katherine Gotthardt

Holidays make their mark in fall and winter, but unfortunately, so do home fires. According to the American Red Cross, home fires typically increase during these seasons, and they usually happen when residents are there. Protect your home and loved ones this autumn and winter by following these tips.

Check smoke detectors regularly. These little devices are lifesaving, and you should check them each season. Smoke detectors should be located outside of all bedrooms and on each level. They will chirp or beep when they have a low battery or are faulty. Replace batteries when you check the smoke detectors, and install new smoke detectors immediately if they are reaching the end of their life.

Examine fire extinguishers. Fire extinguishers can last anywhere from 3 to 20 years, and many do not come with an expiration date, so you will need to check them. Most fire extinguishers have a pressure gauge with a red section and a green section. If the needle is in the green, the fire extinguisher should still be in working order. If there is no pressure gauge and you want to test the fire extinguisher, press in the pin. If it pops back up, the extinguisher is pressurized. Home fire extinguishers are generally inexpensive, so if you are unsure, better to be safe than sorry — invest in a new one.

Be mindful when cooking. Did you know cooking fires are the number one cause of house fires and home fire injuries? Most of these are preventable simply by being more aware and focused when cooking. Use appropriate kitchen tools. Don’t leave items on the stove or in the oven unattended. Keep your counters clear and keep young children away from hot surfaces.

Clear areas around candles. Always popular, but more so in the fall and winter, candles are pretty but can be dangerous. Any time you have an open flame, it’s essential you stay alert and aware. Never keep objects near a candle — make sure there is free space of at least one foot in all directions around a lit candle. Don’t leave candles unattended, and never leave children alone near an open flame. For a safer alternative, consider opting for battery-operated candles.

Take care with extension cords. It’s easy to misuse an extension cord for the sake of decorating and convenience but doing so creates a fire hazard. Don’t double up on extension cords by plugging multiple adapters into an extension cord socket. Never overload outlets and cords with too many items plugged in. Don’t use an indoor cord outdoors. And remember, strings and strings of extension cords increase your risk of a fire. Follow rules for fireplace safety. There are few things that beat a crackling fire in the fireplace. Keep it cozy and safe. Have your chimney inspected and cleaned every year to avoid chimney fires. Repair cracks. Have lines and connections for natural gas fireplaces inspected annually. Use screens around wood fireplaces to contain sparks and debris. Never use gasoline or other flammable liquids to start indoor fires. Don’t leave fires unattended and keep combustibles at a far distance from fireplaces.

Pay attention to other heating sources. Many people rely on extra heating during the coldest months. Besides fireplaces, wood stoves and space heaters should also be used with care. Always plan to be in the room when using these heating sources. For wood stoves, keep doors closed and children away from the stove and tools. Space heaters can present hazards of their own. Purchase ones with automatic shut-off in the event they are tipped over or you fall asleep. And be sure to keep them away from any flammable objects.

Heed guidelines for outdoor burning. The warmth from outdoor firepits on a cold night can be heavenly. Enjoy your time and keep fire pits burning safely. Only burn in a contained area. Ensure adults supervise children at all times around all fires and make those s’mores from a distance. Burning leaves or brush? Find and follow local regulations.

If you do have an emergency… We hope it doesn’t happen, but if you have a fire, call 911 as soon as you are out of the home safely. While on the phone, take account of everyone who has made it out. If someone is missing, tell this to the 911 dispatcher along with information of where they could be in your home. If you don’t see a way out, call 911 from where you are, and give the dispatcher your exact location. Be sure to seal the bottom of your doorway with a towel or other cloth to keep smoke from billowing in.

You can revel in the cooler months and the holidays that come along with them. Be safe while doing so and enjoy the warmth the season.

Erin Pittman (epittman@princewilliamliving.com), Editor in Chief of Prince William Living, and Katherine Gotthardt (kgotthardt@ princewilliamliving.com), Social Media Manager for Prince William Living, have collaborated on articles and books for the past 6 years. Together they have over 40 years of professional writing and editing experience.

Groundwork

Because of the pandemic, the branch, like many other organizations, has not been unable to hold many of their annual events. However, this does not mean they haven't been active.

“During this COVID period the NAACP has been involved with almost every protest that has happened in recent months,” he said. “We have determined over the last 10 years, despite our policies of not defaulting to direct action immediately - we have so much in common with the #BlackLivesMatter Movement.”

Movements, registrations, education and symposiums are a few ways in which PW NAACP gives back.

“We are giving back in a way that the community appreciates and needs us,” he said. “We believe in the late John Lewis’ good trouble. Some people don’t appreciate our loud voices, but we are at the battlefield of social justice and are all about good trouble and inequity. With that, you have to make people uncomfortable.”

The Future

While the PW branch has not mapped out their plans for 2021, they still view themselves as the hub of the wheel of social justice in Prince William County.

Bailey said while thinking of this, other communities should realize that a post-racial society will not be in reach until inequitable treatment stops based on race.

“We are frequently faced with declarations that we are a post-racial society because of eight years of a Black president in The White House,” he said. “There are declarations that we have achieved the dream of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., but that is far from the truth. I don’t know if in our lifetime we will ever really achieve a post-racial society in the United States. As long as there is inequitable treatment based on race or ethnic background there is a need for the NAACP.”

Bailey highlighted that the NAACP has been in action for 111 years, and that is because while they have been successful in solving racial problems in the country, the larger problem still exists.

“There is a constant battle to ensure that each and every person, including Black folks, can realize the pursuit of life, liberty and happiness,” Bailey said.

Katrina Wilson is a South Carolina native adjusting in Northern Virginia. She hopes that her stories bring a voice to various conversations or tell the story someone never knew how to tell. You can follow her on Twitter at KatrinaMWilson_. interacting with deaf people. Signing Online also offers an exam at the end of each course to make sure you’re retaining the material.

If you’re interested in learning American Sign Language but don’t want to drop a whole lot of cash, Sign Language 101 is an online course that offers free videos on their website with lessons and learning materials for a fraction of the cost of most courses. As of right now, the website only has level one lessons, teaching basic vocabulary, but they have plans to add more advanced lessons soon for their students.

After you’ve taken a few classes in ASL and want to practice the language, Mann-Gramajo recommends having conversations in ASL with members of the deaf and hard of hearing community.

“The best advice I can give [someone] is to go out into the deaf community. Find deaf events to interact with people who use sign language on a regular basis as their first language. The best way to learn a language and become fluent is to get out there and use it,” Mann-Gramajo said.

Some, but not all, members of the deaf community rely on lipreading when communicating with people who aren’t familiar with sign language. Since people are wearing masks due to the coronavirus pandemic, one would think it would be difficult to have a conversation. Leffler says this isn’t the case for him.

“I don’t actually rely on lip-reading… I actually try to avoid lip reading. Technology is really helping us out [with] accessibility. So I typically rely on my phone, but there are some Deaf people and hard of hearing people that do rely on lip reading. And I can imagine that for some of them, [it may be] a challenge for them,” Leffler said.

Learning American Sign Language may be difficult at first but practice makes perfect. If you have wanted to learn ASL but have been on the fence about it, this is your sign to start.

Emily Carter is a senior at Virginia Tech majoring in Multimedia Journalism. She is currently the Lifestyles Editor at Virginia Tech’s student-run paper, the Collegiate Times. When she is not writing, she is either dancing alone to Taylor Swift or cooking herself a giant bowl of pasta.