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Newsroom Chapter Blog
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Dec
9
12/9/2008 7:12 PM
 As another night shift with the Red Cross Disaster Action Team comes to a close, my team is happy we had an uneventful evening. This means there were no fires to respond to in the Greater St. Louis area. Quiet nights like this are few and far between during the winter months. But one thing that did surprise us was the number of carbon monoxide detectors going off (I stopped counting these alarms after the 10th). Now that the nights are growing colder, more people are starting up their furnaces and detectors are picking up on CO leaks. Let this be a reminder to all of us to take the time to check the batteries in our carbon monoxide detectors as well as our smoke detectors.
I hope you have a joyful holiday season and remember to keep it safe. The St. Louis Area Chapter responds to an average of three fires each day but we hope by following a few simple steps, that number could be lower. During this holiday season, as you cook your fabulous feasts, please remember to:
- Monitor your cooking at all times.
- Keep potholders and food wrappers at least three feet away from heat sources while cooking.
- Wear tighter fitting clothing with shorter sleeves when cooking.
- Make sure all stoves, ovens and ranges have been turned off when you leave the kitchen.
- Set timers to keep track of roasts and other food items that require extended cooking times.
- Turn handles of pots and pans on the stove inward to avoid accidents.
- After guests leave, designate a responsible adult to walk around the home, making sure that all candles and smoking materials are extinguished.
Until next time,
Molly
Molly McHugh is a volunteer for the American Red Cross St. Louis Area Chapter.
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