Lifestyle
Cy-Fair Fire Department Offers Extension Cord Safety Tips
April 19 2023
This past Monday, in northeast Harris County, the Sheldon Fire Department responded to 3 homes on fire. This fire took two lives and two others were injured. The cause of the fire was determined to be an overloaded extension cord supplying power to one of the mobile homes, the Harris County Fire Marshal’s Office said.
It is hard to imagine a home without electricity. We take this utility for granted, but there are fire risks to consider. In 2020, an estimated 23,400 residential building electrical fires were reported to United States fire departments. These fires caused an estimated 200 deaths, 975 injuries and over $1.1 billion in property loss.
Cy-Fair Fire Department urges residents not to use extension cords to supply another home. Here are a few more safety tips that CFFD recommends:
- Do not overload outlets
- Insert plugs fully into sockets
- Never force a 3 prong cord into a 2 prong outlet
- Replace wall outlets if plugs do not fit snugly
- Install tamper-resistant electrical outlets if you have young children
- Do not overload power strips
- Use power strips that have internal overload protection
- Replace old, worn or damaged extension cords
- Avoid putting cords where they can be damaged or pinched or under rugs/carpet
- Always plug major appliances directly into the wall outlet
- Never use an extension cord to power a major appliance
- Unplug small appliances when not in use
Source: Cy-Fair Fire Department
