{"id":424,"date":"2025-11-20T00:30:45","date_gmt":"2025-11-20T00:30:45","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/naekokozawa.online\/?p=424"},"modified":"2025-11-20T00:30:45","modified_gmt":"2025-11-20T00:30:45","slug":"firefighters-want-everyone-to-know-what-you-should-never-plug-into-a-power-strip","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/naekokozawa.online\/?p=424","title":{"rendered":"Firefighters want everyone to know what you should never plug into a power strip"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Firefighters<\/div>\n
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As the temperature drops, many of us reach for that trusty space heater to keep warm.<\/strong><\/p>\n

But before you plug yours in this winter, there\u2019s a life-saving warning you need to know.<\/strong><\/p>\n

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Winter is on its way, and with it comes increased risk \u2014 including the higher chance of house fires that many people may already know about. That\u2019s why it\u2019s extra important to be careful and make sure all your smoke detectors are working at home.<\/p>\n

There\u2019s also another thing to watch out for. Something that has been warned about since 2017 but is still just as important today.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou should never plug a heater into a power strip,\u201d the Umatilla County Fire District #1 in Hermiston, Oregon, warned on Facebook, back in 2017.<\/p>\n

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Utamilla County Fire District #1<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

They even posted a photo of a fried multi-outlet to prove the point. \u201cThese units are not designed to handle the high current flow needed for a space heater and can overheat or even catch fire due to the added energy flow.\u201d<\/p>\n

The post quickly went viral, racking up more than 17,000 shares, and hundreds of people shared their own hair-raising stories.<\/p>\n

\u201cI had a household one catch on fire years ago,\u201d one Facebook user commented.<\/p>\n

\u201cGood thing I woke up.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI never knew this,\u201d another said.<\/p>\n

The warning isn\u2019t just theoretical.<\/p>\n

Can reach 500\u00b0F to 600\u00b0F<\/h2>\n

There are countless examples of firefighters being called out because of this. For instance, in 2017, the Toledo Fire Department in Ohio also issued a warning after responding to a house fire caused by a space heater. The heater had ignited a sofa, and firefighters emphasized:<\/p>\n

\u201cIf you are operating them make sure you\u2019re operating them in a safe manner. Make sure there\u2019s a space at least a minimum of three feet around that space heater,\u201d said Sterling Rahe, Public Information Officer.<\/p>\n

Space heaters can reach 500\u00b0F to 600\u00b0F, making them extremely dangerous if left unattended or used incorrectly. Firefighters remind everyone: always plug heaters directly into the wall, never a power strip, and keep an eye on them when in use.<\/p>\n

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Shutterstock<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\u201cA lot of these fires, kind of have a common theme,\u201d Rahe added. \u201c<\/p>\n

Things were left unattended.\u201d<\/p>\n

The statistics are scary. From 2009 to 2013, heating equipment caused an estimated 56,000 U.S. home fires \u2014 killing 470 people, injuring 1,490, and causing $1 billion in property damage, according to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA).<\/p>\n

Nearly half of these fires happen in December, January, and February, and space heaters alone account for two out of every five home heating fires.<\/p>\n

The Electrical Safety Foundation International (ESFI) shares these five crucial tips for staying safe with your space heater:<\/p>\n

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  1. Turn them off and unplug them<\/strong>\u00a0when you leave the room or go to bed.<\/li>\n
  2. Keep a three-foot safety zone<\/strong>\u00a0around the heater.<\/li>\n
  3. Plug heaters directly into wall outlets<\/strong>\u00a0\u2014 never an extension cord or power strip, and don\u2019t plug anything else into that outlet.<\/li>\n
  4. Install smoke alarms<\/strong>\u00a0on every floor and outside sleeping areas; test them monthly.<\/li>\n
  5. Place heaters on flat, level surfaces<\/strong>\u00a0\u2014 never on furniture, cabinets, or carpet.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    Extension cords and power strips are handy for chargers or lamps, but they aren\u2019t built for space heaters. The extra energy can make them overheat, spark, and even start a deadly fire.<\/p>\n

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    F. E. Warren Fire Department\u00a0<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

    The Umatilla County Fire District put it bluntly on Facebook:<\/p>\n

    \u201cThe weather is getting colder, and people are pulling out their space heaters. We just wanted to remind you that you should NEVER plug a heater into a power strip. These units are not designed to handle the high current flow needed for a space heater and can overheat or even catch fire due to the added energy flow. Please share and stay safe this Winter season.\u201d<\/p>\n

    Share this with your friends and family \u2014 it could save a life this winter.<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

    Posted\u00a0 Posted b As the temperature drops, many of us reach for that trusty space heater to keep warm. But before you plug yours in this winter, there\u2019s a life-saving … <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-424","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/naekokozawa.online\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/424","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/naekokozawa.online\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/naekokozawa.online\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/naekokozawa.online\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/naekokozawa.online\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=424"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/naekokozawa.online\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/424\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":425,"href":"https:\/\/naekokozawa.online\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/424\/revisions\/425"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/naekokozawa.online\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=424"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/naekokozawa.online\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=424"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/naekokozawa.online\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=424"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}