Seasonal Safety

Spring

Spring is a time when the weather is warming up and many of us are considering a good spring cleaning inside and outside. Consider these safety tips as you plan and perform your spring cleaning:

Outside

Clean up clutter and yard debris, such as dead leaves and dry weeds. Cut back dead limbs and grasses.
Clean all combustible materials for a 10-foot-wide area around structures to reduce the chance of fire. If using mulch, consider a non-combustible mulch such as gravel or decorative stone.
Check the gutters and clean out any debris. Cleaning your gutters now will help prevent overflow when they are filled with summer rains.
Check outdoor electrical outlets and other electrical appliances.
Check and clean grills. If you have a propane grill that hasn’t been used all winter, inspect the burners, surrounding area, hoses, and connections before using it.
To check a propane grill for leaks, spray soapy water on connections and hoses and turn on the propane. Bubbles will form anywhere there is a leak. Tighten loose connections and replace any leaking hose.
Clean up work areas by putting tools and other items away from children’s reach. Remove fire hazards such as rags, newspapers, and magazines.

Inside

Reduce clutter inside and outside your home. While clutter does not often start fires, it can become fuel for a fire.
Check paints, pesticides, herbicides, and other poisons to make sure they are not expired and are stored properly, out of the reach of children and pets.
Store cleaning products out of the reach of children and pets. Many of them are toxic if swallowed.
Clean out the medicine cabinet and remove any medicines that are expired.
Check the dryer and remove any excess lint buildup. Move the dryer out and clean underneath it.
Test your smoke and carbon monoxide alarms to make sure they are working, and replace their batteries as needed.

Summer

Summertime means sunshine and watermelon, swimming and picnics, and spending time outdoors with friends and family. Enjoy summer safely. Remember to be aware of thunderstorms with associated lightning hazards and the danger of heat-related illnesses.

Be aware of the heat, keep hydrated, and learn to identify heat-related illness and how to keep yourself protected from the sun.

Sun Safety

Fireworks Notice: The purchase and use of fireworks is illegal in Lincoln County. Please refer to Section 5, Chapter 1 of the Lincoln County Code for a description of the code and the penalty for breaking it.

Autumn

Autumn is a time for harvest and hunting, warm days and cool nights, Thanksgiving, and spending time with family.

Since the weather is getting cooler and the daylight hours are growing shorter, it is becoming necessary once again to heat our homes. There are safety issues with most types of home heating.

Many people in Lincoln County heat with wood, while others use forms of heat such as electric space heaters that could cause combustion. With the cooler weather at hand, now is a good time to take a look at your home smoke and carbon monoxide alarms. Remember to change the batteries when you change your clocks back one hour.

Smoke Alarm Safety

Review important information about smoke detectors and keeping your home’s alarms ready for the heating season.

Autumn Safety and Health Tips for Your Family

Seasonal health and safety information for families.

Autumn Safety and Health Tips for Your Pets

Seasonal safety information for pets during the autumn months.

Winter

Be Prepared for Winter Weather. Exposure to cold temperatures, whether indoors or outside, can cause serious or life-threatening health problems. To keep yourself and your family safe, you should know how to prevent cold-related health problems and what to do if a cold-weather emergency arises.

Winter is a beautiful time of year, but the weather can make it dangerous as well. Keep yourself and your family safe and prepared for winter weather.

Winter Safety Tips

Information about staying safe and prepared during winter weather.

Winter Sports Safety

ATV riding, hiking, snowshoeing, cross-country skiing, and downhill skiing are among the activities available in and around Lincoln County. Whatever you choose to do, keep warm and be prepared for emergencies.

Winter Safety Tips for Senior Citizens

Cold weather can be particularly dangerous for senior citizens. Review steps that can help older adults stay safe as temperatures fall.

Exercise and Cold Weather

Dressing in layers, protecting your hands and feet, and paying attention to the forecast can help you stay safe and warm while exercising outdoors in cold weather.

Cold Weather Tips for Your Pets

Watch for signs such as shivering, lack of activity or appetite, distressed sounds, or frost and ice buildup on fur or hair. Review these guidelines to help protect pets in cold weather.

Shoveling Snow Safely

Every winter people hurt themselves shoveling snow, ranging from minor aches and pulled muscles to fatal heart attacks. Shoveling puts a lot of stress on the body in a short period of time.

Christmas Season

With the hustle and bustle of the holidays, it seems that there’s never enough time to get everything done. It’s important, though, to make sure that safety doesn’t get left off the list. During the holiday season, fires cause a 34% greater dollar loss and holiday decorating injuries send more than 14,000 people to the emergency room. Keep your family safe.

It is easy to think that a home fire would never happen to your family, but there are more potential risks around your home than you may think, especially during the winter months. A recent study showed that within three seconds of ignition, a dry Scotch pine is completely ablaze; within 40 seconds, a flashover occurs that engulfs the entire room and releases dense, deadly, toxic smoke.

The good news is that it can take less than a minute to help prevent a tragedy. Prepare, plan, and prevent.

Christmas Tree Fire Hazards

Holiday Lighting and Decoration Safety

If you are buying Christmas lights for your home this year, consider energy-efficient LED lights. According to ENERGY STAR, they use 75 percent less energy and last years longer than an incandescent light string. LEDs are reliable and do not produce heat. Look for department or home improvement stores that may have a trade-in program for incandescent Christmas light strings.

When you bring your holiday decorations out of storage, inspect lights to make sure there are no cracks, broken sockets, or loose connections.
Replace damaged light strings with energy-efficient LED lights.
Always use a ladder, not a stool or chair, when hanging lights.
To avoid falling hazards, keep cords away from high-traffic areas of your home.
Do not overload electrical sockets.
Turn off holiday lights when you are not at home or when you are going to sleep.
Consider using a timer to control when your lights go on and off, setting it to turn the lights off at bedtime.
Make sure you use the proper lights for the location. Do not use lights rated for indoor use only on the outside of your home.
If you are using a cut tree, place it in an adequate container and water it every day. A Christmas tree stand with a well that holds at least a gallon of water, or a five-gallon bucket of sand that is kept moist, are both good options. If your tree is losing needles, it probably needs water. A dry tree is highly flammable and, if ignited, can engulf a room in fire in less than one minute.
Check your fire detectors. If you don’t have them, install one in or near every bedroom.