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<body class='hmmessage'><div dir='ltr'><font color="#000000" face="Arial,sans-serif" size="4">Just a reminder, courtesy of the Prince Georges' County Fire and EMS Department.</font><BR><font color="#000000" face="Arial,sans-serif" size="4"></font> <BR><font color="#000000"><font face="Arial,sans-serif"><font size="4"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><u><span style="color: rgb(38, 38, 38);">Electric Space Heaters</span></u></b><span style="color: rgb(38, 38, 38);">
</span></span><br></font></font><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><o:p></o:p><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(38, 38, 38);"><br></span><span style="color: rgb(38, 38, 38);"><font face="Arial,sans-serif" size="4">
• Buy only heaters evaluated by a nationally recognized laboratory, such as Underwriters Laboratories (UL).
</font></span><span style="color: rgb(38, 38, 38);"><br></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: rgb(38, 38, 38);"><br></span></span><font face="Arial,sans-serif"><font size="4"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: rgb(38, 38, 38);">• Check to make sure it has a thermostat control mechanism, and will switch off automatically if the heater falls over. </span></span><br></font></font><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: rgb(38, 38, 38);"><br></span><span style="color: rgb(38, 38, 38);"><font face="Arial,sans-serif" size="4">
• Heaters are not dryers or tables; don't dry clothes or store objects on top of your heater.
</font></span></span><br><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: rgb(38, 38, 38);"><br></span><span style="color: rgb(38, 38, 38);"><font face="Arial,sans-serif" size="4">• Space heaters need space; keep combustibles at least three feet away from each heater. </font></span></span><br><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: rgb(38, 38, 38);"><br></span><span style="color: rgb(38, 38, 38);"><font face="Arial,sans-serif" size="4">
• Always unplug your electric space heater when not in use.
Turn off at night or whenever you sleep.</font></span></span></font><BR><font color="#000000" face="Arial,sans-serif" size="4"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: rgb(38, 38, 38);"></span></span></font> <BR><font color="#000000" face="Courier New,sans-serif"> <BR><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"> <BR> <BR> <BR><font face="Arial,sans-serif" size="4"></font> <BR><span style="color: rgb(38, 38, 38);"><strong><u><font face="Arial,sans-serif"><font size="4"><span style="color: rgb(38, 38, 38);">General Heating Tips</span><br></font></font></u></strong><BR><ul style="margin: 0.5em 0px; padding: 0px 2.5em; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); line-height: 1.4; list-style-type: disc;"><li style="margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); text-indent: 0px;"><font face="Arial,sans-serif"><font size="4"><span style="color: rgb(38, 38, 38);"><span style='font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman"; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal;'><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(38, 38, 38);">Furnaces, fireplaces and Chimneys should be cleaned and checked each year by an appropriate professional prior to using.</span></font></font></li></ul><ul style="margin: 0.5em 0px; padding: 0px 2.5em; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); line-height: 1.4; list-style-type: disc;"><li style="margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); line-height: 1.4; text-indent: 0px;"><font face="Arial,sans-serif"><font size="4"><span style="color: rgb(38, 38, 38);"><span style='font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman"; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal;'><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(38, 38, 38); line-height: normal;">Only use seasoned wood in fireplaces and never use ignitable liquids to start a fire.</span></font></font></li></ul><ul style="margin: 0.5em 0px; padding: 0px 2.5em; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); line-height: 1.4; list-style-type: disc;"><li style="margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); line-height: 1.4; text-indent: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(38, 38, 38); line-height: normal;"><font face="Arial,sans-serif" size="4">The 3-foot rule applies to furnaces and fireplaces. No combustibles items within 3 feet of these heating appliances.</font></span></li></ul><ul style="margin: 0.5em 0px; padding: 0px 2.5em; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); line-height: 1.4; list-style-type: disc;"><li style="margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); line-height: 1.4; text-indent: 0px;"><font face="Arial,sans-serif"><font size="4"><span style="color: rgb(38, 38, 38);"><span style='font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman"; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal;'><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(38, 38, 38); line-height: normal;">Dispose of fireplace ash into a metal container and store outdoors away from structures on a concrete surface. Fireplace ash can ignite a fire days after they have been discarded.</span></font></font></li></ul><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family: inherit;"><br><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(38, 38, 38);"><font face="Arial,sans-serif" size="4">Colder weather also increases the potential to carbon monoxide (CO) exposure. To help prevent illness and possibly death from exposure to CO:</font></span></span><br><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family: inherit;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(38, 38, 38);"><br></span></span><BR><ul style="margin: 0.5em 0px; padding: 0px 2.5em; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); line-height: 1.4; list-style-type: disc;"><font face="Arial,sans-serif" size="4"> </font><li style="margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px; text-indent: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(38, 38, 38);"><font face="Arial,sans-serif" size="4">Have a certified technician inspect all heating related equipment, kitchen appliances and vent pipes.</font></span></li></ul><ul style="margin: 0.5em 0px; padding: 0px 2.5em; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); line-height: 1.4; list-style-type: disc;"><li style="margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px; text-indent: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(38, 38, 38);"><font face="Arial,sans-serif" size="4">Purchase and install a CO alarm that has a 10-year battery.</font></span></li></ul><font face="Arial,sans-serif"><font size="4"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family: inherit;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(38, 38, 38);">Finally, having a working smoke alarm dramatically increases your chances of surviving a fire. Remember to practice a home escape plan, including 2 ways out of every room, frequently with your family. </span></span><br></font></font><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family: inherit;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(38, 38, 38);"><br></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family: inherit;"><font face="Arial,sans-serif"><font size="4"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(38, 38, 38);">Residents of Prince George’s County can contact 311 and request a smoke alarm or battery. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(38, 38, 38);"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(38, 38, 38);">A firefighter will install a working smoke alarm in your home; free of charge.</span></font></font></span><BR></span><font face="Arial,sans-serif" size="4"></font> <BR></span><font size="4"> <br id="FontBreak"></font><BR></font><br><br><strong><font size="4" style="font-size: 16pt;">Steve Lamphier, President, Fire Department</font></strong><br> <BR> </div></body>
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