Hello staff and students! Due to the cold temperatures that we are facing here in Mid-Missouri, I wanted to provide everyone with some tips for keeping your homes safe and warm during the remainder of this winter season.

Follow these safety tips from CDC, the National Fire Protection Association, and the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission to prevent injuries and deaths related to heating your home.

• Install a smoke alarm near bedrooms and on each floor of your home. Test it monthly. If it has a 9-volt battery, change the battery once a year.
• Install a carbon monoxide (CO) alarm near bedrooms and on each floor of your home. If your alarm sounds, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission suggests that you press the reset button, call emergency services (911 or your local fire department), and immediately move to fresh air (either outdoors or near an open door or window). Know the symptoms of CO poisoning: headache, fatigue, dizziness, and shortness of breath. If you experience any of these symptoms, get fresh air right away and contact a doctor for proper diagnosis.
• Make sure heating equipment is installed properly. Have a trained specialist inspect and tune up your heating system each year.
• Keep portable space heaters at least 3 feet from anything that can burn, including bedding, furniture, and clothing. Never drape clothing over a space heater to dry.
• Keep children and pets away from space heaters. Never leave children in a room alone when a space heater is in use.
• If you use a kerosene heater, use only the fuel recommended by the manufacturer. Never put gasoline in a kerosene heater–it could explode. Before you refuel the heater, turn it off and let it cool down. Refuel outside only.
• When using a kerosene heater, keep a door open to the rest of the house or open a window slightly. This will reduce the chance of carbon monoxide build-up in the room.
• Have your fireplace chimney and flue inspected each year and cleaned if needed. Open the flue and use a sturdy fireplace screen when you have a fire. Burn only untreated wood; never burn paper or pine branches–pieces can float out the chimney and ignite your roof, a neighbor’s roof, or nearby trees.
• If you use a wood-burning stove, have the chimney connection and flue checked each year. Make sure the stove is placed on an approved stove board to protect the floor from heat and coals.
• Never use your range or oven to heat your home, even for a short time.

(information taken from www.kidsource.com)

Please be safe and have a great rest of the winter!

Jason Touchatt, Ellis Library Security