Is Your Home Safe?

As your family gathers inside to escape the chilly weather, be mindful of the fire dangers you are at risk for in every room of your home. More than 18,000 people are injured in home fires every year. Here are simple ways to prevent home fires and make your family safer.






Problem: Unattended cooking

Not surprisingly, the number one cause of house fires start in the kitchen, and stovetop cooking is the primary cause. These fires account for 40% of all house fires.



Solution: Watch pots

Sure, everyone has heard the saying "a watched pot never boils," but the leading factor of house fires caused by cooking warrants undivided attention. If you have to leave the room to answer the phone or attend some other matter, turn off the stove, or have someone else take over.



Problem: Clogged concerns

The dryer is a magnificent modern day convenience that makes life easier, but it also can be a huge fire hazard. According to Consumer Reports there are as many as 15,000 home fires caused by dryers every year. That is a startling number, and most of those fires are a result of clogged vents.



Solution: Clean, clean, clean

You know when you forget to clean the lint out of the dryer a few times and how big that lint ball gets? Well just think of how your vents must look if you do not have those cleaned. So you should get your vents cleaned at least once every two years. Not only will this help protect your home, but it will also help with energy costs, and the longevity of your dryer.





Problem: Overloaded circuits

Speaking of appliances, all those cords can really add up to a disaster. In fact, during most years, home electrical issues account for about 28,600 fires and $1.1 billion in property losses. And 53% of residential electrical fires involve electrical wiring. More households don’t just have a TV; they have a TiVo, a DVD player, at least one video gaming system, and often a sound system. All of these require power.



Solution: Get organized

Use a surge protector, and don’t overload it. Skip the extension cords and go for a multi-plug panel. Avoid wires and cords under rugs, over nails or in high-traffic areas of the room. If a piece of electronics starts to sputter, spark or smell, turn it off immediately and replace it.





Problem: Alternate heaters

During the winter months, heating is the most common cause of residential fires. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission estimates that portable, electric space heaters cause more than 25,000 house fires each year.



Solution: Shop smart

When using portable heaters, put these hot little units on a level space, away from foot traffic, and give them room. Keep any combustible items—as well as children and pets—at least three feet away. Also, be sure to buy the right-sized heater for your space. Most heaters have a general sizing guide.





Problem: Inadequate protection

Approximately 33% of all homes do not have working smoke detectors. When you have a working smoke alarm your chances of dying in a home fire are 50% less.



Solution: Keep checking

Make sure you have a smoke detector and to check the batteries at least once a month. A smoke detector has a useful life of 10 years and then should be replaced. Another essential item to have in the home is a carbon monoxide detector.

More Jobs Here in the USA

A physics teacher in high school, once told the students  that while one grasshopper on the railroad tracks wouldn't slow a train very  much, a billion of them would.   With that thought in mind, read the  following, obviously written by a good American . . .

This probably sounds crazy, but just yesterday I was in Wal Mart looking for a wastebasket. I found some made in China for $6.99. I didn't want to pay that much so I asked the lady if they had any others. She took me to another department and they had some at $2.50 made in USA. They are just as good.

              Same as a kitchen rug I needed. I had to look, but I found  some made in the USA and they were $3.00 cheaper.  We are being brain washed that everything that comes from China and Mexico is cheaper. Not so. That is also why I don't buy cards at  Hallmark anymore. They are made in China and are expensive. I buy them at Dollar Tree....50 cents each and made in USA.

                                                       Check this out.  I can verify this because I was in Lowe's the other day for some reason and just for the heck of it I was looking at  the hose attachments... They were all made in China .
The next day I was in Ace Hardware and just for the heck of it  I checked the hose attachments there.
They were made in USA. Start looking ...
              In our current economic situation, every little thing we buy  or do affects someone else - even their job. So, after reading this email, I think this lady is on the right track..  Let's get behind her!
              My grandson likes Hershey's candy.  I noticed, though, that it is marked made in Mexico now.
I do not buy it any more.

              My favorite toothpaste Colgate is made in Mexico... Now I have  switched to Crest.  You have to read the labels on everything....


      Good idea . . .. One light bulb at a time . . ..

        This past weekend I was at Kroger . .. . I needed 60W light  bulbs and Bounce dryer sheets.
 I was in the light bulb aisle, and right next to the GE brand  I normally buy was an off-brand labeled, " Everyday Value ." I picked up both  types of bulbs and compared the stats they were the same except
For the price  . . . The GE bulbs were more money than the Everyday Value brand but  the thing that surprised me the most was the fact that GE was made in MEXICO and  the Everyday Value brand was made in - get ready for this - the USA in a company  in Cleveland , Ohio.
             So throw out the myth that you cannot find products you use  every day that are made right here...
              So on to another aisle - Bounce Dryer Sheets...  Yep, you  guessed it, Bounce cost more money and is made in Canada... The Everyday Value brand was less money and MADE IN THE USA! I did laundry yesterday and the dryer  sheets performed just like the Bounce Free I have been using for years and at  almost half the price!

              My challenge to you is to start reading the labels when you  shop for everyday things and see what you can find that is made in the USA - the job you save may be your own or your neighbors!
              If you accept the challenge, pass this on to others in your  address book so we can all start buying American, one light bulb at a time! Stop buying from overseas companies!

              (We should have awakened a decade ago....)
              Let's get with the program and help our fellow Americans keep  their jobs and create more jobs here in the USA .

              I passed this on . .. . Will you???
 




Wayne Jensen
Ogden SAP/MES Analyst
Fresenius Medical Care, NA
475 W. 13th St.
Ogden, Utah 84404