Don’t Forget to Fall Back

Sunday, November 5^th, Daylight Saving Time ends and we set our clocks back an hour. Take advantage of extra sleep, then take a few simple steps to make your home more disaster-resilient:

• Make sure you have working fire/carbon monoxide detectors. All single-family duplexes and homes in Wisconsin are required to have detectors on every level, including the basement, but not the attic or storage areas.  FCP Emergency Management does provide fire/carbon monoxides detectors to the Tribal Community so if you are in need of any please reach out to us.  Daylight Savings Time change is a good time each year to replace the batteries in your detector if they are not the sealed lithium units and push the “Test” button to be sure it’s working properly.
• Have your furnace or wood-burning stove inspected annually. Hire a professional to make sure it is functionally sound and vents properly outside the home.
• Never run a gasoline or propane heater or a grill (gas or charcoal) inside your home or garage. Any heating system that burns fuel produces carbon monoxide.
• Generators should be run at a safe distance (at least 20 feet) from the home. Never run a generator in the home or garage, or right next to windows or doors.
• Never run a car in an enclosed space. Even with a door or window open, carbon monoxide levels can still build up to an unsafe level.

At high levels, carbon monoxide can cause death within minutes. Symptoms of overexposure to carbon monoxide include headache, fatigue, dizziness, shortness of breath, nausea, and confusion. If you think you may be experiencing carbon monoxide poisoning, or your detector sounds an alarm, head outside immediately for fresh air and call 911.