This time of year is one of the riskiest in Hollywood, Miami, and across South Florida when it comes to fires and burn injuries. During the holidays, more people are cooking at home, trying new recipes, and trying to cook multiple dishes at once. This can increase the risk of cooking fires and serious burns.
Parents in Homestead and other South Florida communities need to be aware of a new viral challenge which poses a serious threat to children and teens. In fact, many fire fighting departments across the country are releasing alerts and warnings to inform the general public about the danger.
Unfortunately, the latest challenge, called the “outlet challenge,” is just the latest in a string of risky behaviors teens and children are pursuing for online likes. Following on the heels of the Tide Pod challenge, which saw social media users biting into detergent pods and challenges which saw people dancing alongside moving cars, this latest challenge is just as deadly.
We take electricity for granted, but when the power goes out during a storm, planned outage, mechanical failure, or for some other reason, being plunged into the dark is inconvenient. Ideally, that’s all it is. However, power outages can also be dangerous and can lead to injuries or fires in Homestead or your community.
Here’s how you can stay safe during a power outage:
You use batteries every day in your mobile devices, electronics, and maybe even your car. Disposable and rechargeable batteries supply the energy for many of the items you use every day and when these devices work correctly, you probably never think about them.
Unfortunately, battery-related injuries occur more often than you may think and they can be devastating. Each year, people are injured or even killed by exploding or otherwise malfunctioning batteries. Batteries that overheat or catch fire can cause serious burns and facial injuries if the batteries are in your phone or e-cigarette. Incorrectly functioning batteries in your car can cause you to crash. In your home, poorly designed or flawed batteries can cause fires and serious injury to you and others.
The fall and winter months are a great time to review fire safety. A number of issues around the holidays can affect fire safety in your home, so take the time to sit down with your family and discuss ways to prevent fire and burn injury.
Specifically, you will want to:
If your children are off to college this year, do they have everything they need to have not only a perfect school year but also safe one? Many students and parents aren’t thinking about fire safety when they pack up the car for the dorm or for off-campus housing. However, dorms and student housing units can be especially vulnerable to fire because there are so many students sharing the spaces.
There are a few ways to keep your children safe:
Across the country, every 60 seconds or so there is a fire serious enough to require a call to the emergency services. Fires cause devastating injury and damage in Hollywood and across South Florida each year. They can cause smoke inhalation—serious enough to cause life-long injury, burns, property damage, and even fatalities.
Fires can be caused by defective appliances and electronics, and in fact each year products liability claims in South Florida and Hollywood are filed for this reason. Fires can also be caused by arson or intentional acts or by improper use or storage of fuels, barbecues, and other household items.
In late October, a Florida man suffered serious injury after an e-cigarette exploded, leaving him with serious internal and external burn injuries. He is still in a coma and still in serious condition following the incident, and the situation is causing some to ask questions about e-cigarettes.
E-cigarettes or electronic cigarettes are vaporizers that work on batteries. Users can insert different flavors of liquids into the device and the e-cigarette turns the liquid into vapor. E-cigarettes have become intensely popular over the past few years. Some users say the devices help them quit smoking, since it’s possible to control the amount of tobacco being used in the devices or even to use tobacco-free liquids in e-cigarettes. Others simply like the sensation of using e-cigarettes, especially since they don’t produce smoke.
Now that fall is here, Florida residents will want to take steps to keep themselves safe. While South Florida is fortunate enough not to be affected by early snow or cold temperatures, safety is still important. The region’s tornado season doesn’t end for a few weeks yet and with cooler temperatures slowly but surely approaching, there are a few things you might want to do:
It doesn’t usually get cooler in South Florida until later in the year, but if you like to stay cozy around the holidays, you’ll want to get service for your fireplaces, space heaters, and furnaces now. Since it’s not busy season yet, you’ll likely be able to get a technician fairly easily.
The holidays pose a number of dangers when it comes to burn injuries and fires. Some of the decorations that we use in our homes can pose a fire risk, and the distraction around this time of year can also make us less alert to fire hazards. To keep you and your family safe, make sure that you follow these tips:
When hanging outdoor lights, turn off the electricity to the supply outlet first and make sure that the connection is unplugged. Only hang outdoor lights that are intended for outdoor use and are in good condition. Throw out or repair any lights with frayed or damaged cords and connectors. Use a sturdy ladder and have someone help you to reduce the risk of falls. Keep electrical connectors off the ground and away from eaves troughs and puddles.
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