Electrical fires continue to be leading cause of home fires

NFPA urges public awareness of electrical safety

News releases By: National Fire Protection Association (NFPA)

Electrical fires continue to be a leading cause of home fires, according to a new report from the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA). Released during National Electrical Safety Month (May), the report is a reminder for the public not to forget about electrical safety and to adhere to safety tips to help reduce the risk of home electrical fires.

“Electricity literally runs modern lifestyles by powering the amenities that so many of us depend on day to day, so fire safety is something to keep in mind whenever electricity is being used,” said Lorraine Carli, NFPA’s vice president of communications. “There are lots of simple things each of us can do to prevent electrical fires, like keeping lighting fixtures and light bulbs away from things that can burn, and never using extension cords to plug in major appliances.”

According to the report, in 2007, electrical failure or malfunction was a factor contributing to ignition in an estimated 51,800 reported home structure fires. Of the 2003-2007 home electrical fires, 46 percent involved some type of electrical distribution or lighting equipment. Other leading types of equipment involved in the ignition of electrical fires were washers and dryers, fans, air conditioning equipment, space heaters, water heaters, and ranges.

Six percent of 2003-2007 home structure fires involved electrical distribution or lighting equipment as equipment involved in ignition, making it the fourth major cause of home structure fires, following behind cooking equipment, heating equipment, and intentional.

NFPA offers the following safety tips on electrical safety:

* Work on home electrical distribution or lighting equipment should only be conducted by someone qualified as an electrician.

* When buying, selling, or remodeling a home, have it inspected by a professional electrician.

* Keep lamps, light fixtures, and light bulbs away from anything that can burn, including lamp shades, furniture, bedding, curtains, clothing, and flammable or combustible gases and liquids.

* Major appliances such as refrigerators, stoves, washers, dryers, etc., should be plugged directly into a wall outlet. Never use an extension cord.

* Replace cracked, damaged, and loose electrical cords.

* Extension cords are for temporary use only. Have a licensed electrician determine if additional circuits or outlets are needed.

* Consider having a qualified electrician install arc fault circuit interrupters (AFCIs) in your home. This is a type of circuit breaker that shuts off electricity when a dangerous condition occurs.



To learn more about electrical safety, please visit www.nfpa.org/electricalsafetymonth.

Full report: Home Electrical Fires: http://www.nfpa.org/assets/files/PDF/OS.electrical.pdf

NFPA has been a worldwide leader in providing fire, electrical, building, and life safety to the public since 1896. The mission of the international nonprofit organization is to reduce the worldwide burden of fire and other hazards on the quality of life by providing and advocating consensus codes and standards, research, training, and education.


(The usual disclaimers: I am not a journalist; this is a blog that expresses an outlook and is not conclusive in any shape or manner.)

Twitter Weekly Updates for 2010-05-30

· Social Media Updates for 2010-05-30 : http://tiogafireprotectionandfireprevention.blogspot.com/ May 30th

· 1 dead in fire on Indy's SE side http://bit.ly/b9xQ2C @usfire @NFPA #Firefighter #Firefighting #fire May 30th

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· Good morning all in Tweetland, Tioga County, Owego NY! Have a Tweet of a day. Tweet on Tweeter & Have Fun! Have an enjoyable weekend also! May 30th

· From @mashable: WARNING: Facebook Malware Attack on the Loose http://bit.ly/d9NC1L @LamarrWilson @chrispirillo @ClaytonMorris May 29th

· Two dead after fire in East Boston http://bit.ly/9Vx6Tc @usfire @NFPA #Firefighter #Firefighting #fire May 29th

· Two people killed in E. Boston blaze http://bit.ly/cJrPkk @usfire @NFPA #Firefighter #Firefighting #fire May 29th

· KTLA: Burning Tanker Closes 91 Freeway During Holiday Rush http://bit.ly/9QzBwz #Firefighter #Firefighting #fire May 29th

· Prescott National Forest preaching fire safety over Memorial Day weekend http://bit.ly/cpPPNf #Firefighter #Firefighting #fire May 29th

· Good morning all in Tweetland, Tioga County, Owego NY! Have a Tweet of a day. Tweet on Tweeter & Have Fun! May 29th

· Watching the Boston Celtics playing. LETS GO CELTICS, LETS GO! LETS GO CELTICS, LETS GO CELTIC! May 28th

· Earn Your Degree in...Twitter?! http://bit.ly/dyY42a! <--Hey @LamarrWilson Great & Entertainment! I'm also 1st to tweet this YouTube! : ) May 28th

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· Smoke detector helps woman escape blaze http://bit.ly/9qjAk5 #Firefighter #Firefighting #fire May 28th

· KTVO goes inside a house fire http://bit.ly/ccCNKC #Firefighter #Firefighting #fire May 28th

· Emergency Responders Falsify Credentials http://bit.ly/alm6j1 #Firefighter #Firefighting #fire #EMS May 28th

· RT @ChrisPirillo: Wow: http://youtu.be/SdfcZ4sD8Qo <--ROTFL! lol funny stuff indeed. Thanks for the laugh Chris. @joelcomm check it out! May 28th

· RT @joelcomm: Home. Yay. <--[ Welcome home, Joel. Home which is always a good place to go & be at. : ) ] May 28th

· Practice fire safety - watch what you heat. ~Author Unknown May 28th

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· Good morning all in Tweetland, Tioga County, Owego NY! Have a Tweet of a day. Tweet on Tweeter & Have Fun! It's #FollowFriday May 28th

· Something New On Facebook! http://tiogafireprotectionandfireprevention.blogspot.com/ May 27th

· After yesterdays loooooooog day at work, today should be a cake walk. Lets all have a Fantastic Day! : ) May 27th

· Good morning all in Tweetland, Tioga County, Owego NY! Have a Tweet of a day. Tweet on Tweeter & Have Fun! May 27th

· Working the OT now. Will be about a 13-14 hour day when it's all said & done. "KACHING !" $$$ May 26th

· Watching @joelcomm on the FoX Strategy Room at http://foxnews.com/strategyroom May 26th

· Space shuttle Atlantis lands at Kennedy Space Center after final mission http://bit.ly/aKkjAa Oshkosh Striker on ARFF Standby in picture. May 26th

· Space shuttle Atlantis lands at Kennedy Space Center after final mission http://bit.ly/aKkjA Oshkosh Striker on ARFF Standby in picture. May 26th

· ABQ theater-company building burns http://bit.ly/bnPHZF #Firefighter #Firefighting #fire May 26th

· Red Cross Aids Fire Victims http://bit.ly/986Wqw #Firefighter #Firefighting #fire May 26th

· KCFD offers fire prevention advice following death of girl, 3 http://bit.ly/cyK8cP @usfire @NFPA #Firefighter May 26th

· Bucks fire kills child, injures others in family http://bit.ly/ayb5CU @usfire @NFPA #Firefighter #Firefighting #fire May 26th

· Baby Girl Dies in Fire http://bit.ly/cY3Rln @usfire @NFPA #Firefighter #Firefighting #fire May 26th

· Cops: Man lit mom on fire http://bit.ly/9aJJBt May 26th

· Good morning all in Tweetland, Tioga County, Owego NY! Have a Tweet of a day. Tweet on Tweeter & Have Fun! May 26th

· RT @GuyKawasaki What you need to know about autism http://idek.net/1be5 May 25th

· Facebook Caves to Privacy Pressure: 'Simplified' Controls Debut Wednesday http://bit.ly/dvfyJF @joelcomm @lamrrwilson @chrispirillo May 25th

· Crews Battle Massive Overnight Fire http://bit.ly/at7iQt #Firefighter #Firefighting #fire May 25th

· Fire tears through Everett apartments http://bit.ly/dlwiWB #Firefighter #Firefighting #fire May 25th

· NOT FIRED: Carlisle's Fire Chief Keeps Job Despite New Information http://bit.ly/9lLESv #Firefighter #Firefighting #fire 6:35 AM May 25th

· No Smoke Detector Found After Deadly Apartment Fire http://bit.ly/cr4ecG @usfire @NFPA #Firefighter #Firefighting #fire May 25th
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· Good morning all in Tweetland, Tioga County, Owego NY! Have a Tweet of a day. Tweet on Tweeter & Have Fun! May 25th

· Child Dies, 3 Critically Injured In Kansas City Apartment Fire http://bit.ly/buVVxP @usfire @NFPA #Firefighter #Firefighting #fire May 24th

· Rego Park Fire Aftermath http://bit.ly/aSwi1j @usfire @NFPA #Firefighter #Firefighting #fire May 24th

· Man, 19, Dies In Townville House Fire http://bit.ly/cuzYOJ @usfire @NFPA #Firefighter #Firefighting #fire May 24th

· Softball Game Turms into Disaster for 2 Long Island Firefighters http://bit.ly/cQOLso #Firefighter #Firefighting #fire @usfire @nfpa #ems May 24th

· RT @FireCritic Shawnee firefighter who died in blaze is remembered http://bit.ly/dzJGGK #Firefighter #Firefighting #fire @usfire @nfpa May 24th

· Arson blamed in 17th Avenue house fires http://bit.ly/9dukZh #Firefighter #Firefighting #fire May 24th

· Queens fireman escape mystery blast that brings down ceiling http://bit.ly/bNomQ0 #Firefighter #Firefighting #fire May 24th

· @DispatchDemon Have a good one also today. : ) May 24th in reply to dispatchdemon

· To Facebook or Not Facebook? http://tiogafireprotectionandfireprevention.blogspot.com/ May 24th

· Good morning all in Tweetland, Tioga County, Owego NY! Have a Tweet of a day. Tweet on Tweeter & Have Fun! Yeah it's Monday, lets get going. May 24th








(The usual disclaimers: I am not a journalist; this is a blog that expresses an outlook and is not conclusive in any shape or manner.)

Something New On Facebook!

I was working a long 12 hour day yesterday and I’m still catching up on the news of the Facebook’s new privacy controls that rolled out yesterday (Wednesday, May 26, 2010).

An explanation of these new privacy controls can be reviewed & checked out over on http://www.facebook.com/privacy/explanation.php

Here’s a YouTube video of Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg talking about the new privacy controls . . .



Wanted to and thought it was the right thing to do to follow-up on my “To Facebook or Not Facebook?” blog post with one that indicates to me that the people of Facebook are listening to the customer and user. Plus it’s current up-to-date information that those that use Facebook need to know about. It’s coming straight from the CEO’s month too in the YouTube, so it seems to me their serious as well as, at least, trying to help to make things simpler. You’ll still have the critics that won’t be satisfied with Facebook's new privacy protections. If you’re not satisfied then move on and that is always an option if you’re not happy with something.

I’ll be checking the new privacy controls over the next few days and I hope you do so also.

Oh, you can also follow Tioga Fire Protection and Fire Prevention on Facebook at . . .

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Tioga-Fire-Protection-and-Fire-Prevention/109187259118803

I’m go to continue to use, post, and have fun on Facebook. Also to understand how usefully Facebook can be and has been thus far in maintaining contact with family, friends, co-workers, and the possibility to meet new friends on this social network program. So if your doing the Facebook do so safely and enjoy the fun that the platform has to offer you.

I’m even reading the book “The Accidental Billionaires” about the founding of Facebook to better understand it. Maybe that’ll be a future blog post for a book review.

Have a good weekend all and I’ll be seeing you out there on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and on the Blog Sphere.


(The usual disclaimers: I am not a journalist; this is a blog that expresses an outlook and is not conclusive in any shape or manner.)

To Facebook or Not Facebook?

There’s been some talk that’s popped up on the internet radar that I’ve seen over the last week about bailing from Facebook on May 31st, 2010. A “Mass Exodus” sort of speaks over the privacy of personal data that may reside on individual Facebook accounts. There’s even a web page for the “Mass Exodus” over at http://www.quitfacebookday.com/ .

Now concerning the “privacy of personal data” on Facebook, I do recall this past April 27, 2010 of a new Facebook privacy setting update for me, as well as others using Facebook, called “Instant Personalization” that shares data with non-Facebook websites and it is automatically set to "Allow.”

In order to remove this “Instant Personalization” setting form “Allow” to “NOT ALLOW” you simply go to Account > Privacy Settings > Applications and Websites and then uncheck "Allow". Again you have to “UNCHECK” the box to “NOT ALLOW.”

Oh, by the way I am a Facebook user for a little over a year now. I find using Facebook pretty good in maintaining contacts with family members, friends (both current & old).

Matter fact it was a few good friends that informed me of the “Instant Personalization” setting and advised me it's best to uncheck for better “privacy of personal data” when using Facebook. Seemed like a good idea and I took their advice and did the simple instructions that updated my security posture on my Facebook account.

Will I be taking part in the “Quit Facebook Day” on May 31st, 2010? Probably not because the reason given to quit is “Sick of Facebook's lack of respect for your data? Add your name and commit to quit!” is somewhat… well…lacking. Facebook in my opinion is providing a pretty good online social service for us all on the internet to meet up on and I think they respect to a certain degree all those that have an account. Of course I’m not going to put my life story and bank account numbers or other really, really personal information. Let me see…something to the affect of…ummmm…using common sense comes to mind.

We are all responsible for what we do and what we say in this world we live in. At least that’s the way I was brought up. I have at times not shut up when it’s best not to say anything and found myself in a pickle or sort. We live & learn, part of life’s lessons, and hopefully for the better.

There have been a few examples in the pass weeks of an individual’s sort of getting caught in what I would call a Facebook Pickle…

The first Facebook Pickle being about how a “Facebook post costs waitress her job”. Basically waitress waits on customer, and custom ore leaves a less then fair tip for services. The waitress cries/complains about it on Facebook, and then waitress’ boss sees the Facebook post. The result from the waitress’ boss is that this was “…violating company policy against speaking disparagingly about customers. … “ and that a another policy was broke by “… casting the restaurant in a negative light on social networks. …” Sometimes it’s always best just to let it go and not cross a line in such a public place that Facebook can become to vent off to where it comes back to bite you.

The second Facebook Pickle happen last week when five fire fighters from McMinnville City, Tennessee posting on Facebook while on duty. The five fire fighters were using laptops that they owned but they were doing their Facebook posting while on the City McMinnville’s time. I would take it that there is a city policy that while you are on duty, apparently, you are not allowed to doing this type of activity because the five firefighters were given & received an oral reprimand and a copy of the incident was placed in their employment records. Basically a slap on the wrist but hopefully a lesson learned not only by the fire fighters but for the city government also to ensure that all policies are clearly stated, and if there is a gray area then explain it to where there is none.

We all must educate our selves with the uses and changes when dealing with Facebook. We all make choices and hopefully they are the best choices. Everyone is putting something online with the result being someone will see it. I put this blog post online for others to see & read and to learn a little.

As far as “Facebook Privacy” goes you have to do it with a “K.I.S.S.” (Keep It Simple Stupid) and in the following video from our very good online friend Chris Pirillo, over on http://chris.pirillo.com/ , the simplicity of being careful couldn’t be made anymore simple. Thank-you Chris for the best advise one could use on their Facebook account, greatly appreciated. View and enjoy…

Chris Pirillo’s perfect two-step plan to help solve the problem of me To Facebook or Not Facebook?

Step 1: STOP SHARING SHIT ONLINE THAT YOU DON’T WANT THE WORLD TO KNOW.

Step 2: Repeat step 1.

This simple two-step plan can apply to Twitter, YouTube, Home Web Pages, Blogs, and even emails. Once it’s out there, it’s out there, so take responsibility and be careful just like anything we do in our daily lives.


(The usual disclaimers: I am not a journalist; this is a blog that expresses an outlook and is not conclusive in any shape or manner.)