Winter Heating and Fire Safety

As the temperatures drop and the smell of wood burning chimneys and stoves fill the air it is prime time to have your chimney cleaned and inspected to remove creosote buildup. Creosote is a category of carbonaceous chemicals formed by the distillation of various tars and by pyrolysis of plant-derived material, such as wood or fossil fuel – simply it is the black stuff that accumulates when incomplete combustion (burning) occurs and it “sticks” to cooler surfaces like the inside of your chimney. This is why double- and triple-walled stovepipe is preferred over single-walled. On multiple walled stovepipe the inside wall is actually able to stay at a higher temperature and the unburned fuels (creosote) going up your chimney tend to not “stick” as much and exit through the top.

Since creosote is basically unburned fuel and it collects on all stovepipe (single-, double-, and triple-walled) over time it needs to be cleaned or “swept” on a regular basis. We suggest sweeping before you start to burn in the Fall and once again halfway through Winter(sometime in middle to late January depending on how much you burn). If you are hiring a company to sweep your chimney, it is a good idea to have them inspect your system – providing you with “peace of mind” concerning materials and clearances, etc.

Whether you clean it yourself or have someone else do it, the investment in a good cleaning is well worth it in peace of mind alone.

Ashes & coals – these will both continue to ‘burn’ up to 72 hours after taking them out of your stove. PLEASE make sure you are transferring ash to a heavy duty metal (not plastic) bucket for the first cooling and then to a second bucket which you can douse with water (watch for steam) and cool completely. Do not place the ash bucket on a combustible surface such as wood. This seems like common sense, but how many times do we throw out common sense for speed and shortcuts? Please, take the time needed to safely dispose of hot ashes.

Lastly, space heaters get used a lot on these cold days. Space heater concerns are how close it is to flammable materials (curtains, wall hangings, books/papers) and how accessible it is to small children and pets.

Here are some quick things to remember as we move into this Winter heating season:

• Heating equipment is involved in 1 in every 6 reported home fires and 1 in every 5 home fire deaths.

• Keep anything that can burn at least 3 feet from any heat source like fireplaces, wood stoves, radiators, or space heaters.

• Keep portable generators outside, away from windows, and as far away as possible from your house. Install and test carbon monoxide alarms at least once a month.

• Have a qualified professional clean and inspect your chimney and vents every year. Store cooled ashes in a tightly covered metal container, and keep it outside at least 10 from your home and any nearby buildings.

• Plug only1 heat-producing appliance (such as a space heater) into an electrical outlet at a time.

CDOT - **TRAVEL ALERT** SW Colorado Drivers may experience Snowy Driving Conditions this Weekend

SAN JUAN MOUNTAINS, SW COLORADO – The Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) will have snow plows on the ready to clear southwest Colorado high mountain roads and passes this weekend. The National Weather Service (NWS) has alerted CDOT that a storm system is moving into the San Juan Mountains beginning Friday night and continuing into Saturday.

According to the Grand Junction office of the NWS, there is a potential for three to six inches of snow at an elevation of above 9,000 feet. As of Thursday, the storm system was centered in Arizona and is expected to move Gulf moisture into southwest Colorado Friday night and Saturday.

Motorists traveling into the high mountains north of Durango should be prepared for snowy driving conditions and are advised to remain alert for heavy equipment and snowplows on the roadway.

STAY INFORMED: For information on travel conditions, visit COTrip.org. To sign up to receive travel information and/or lane closure updates on state highways in the area of your choice, visit CDOT’s website at www.codot.gov and choose the envelope icon at the bottom of the page. Updates are also available via Twitter @coloradodot and CDOT’s Facebook page at Facebook.com/coloradodot.

www.coloradodot.info

www.facebook.com/coloradodot

twitter: @coloradodot

         

Contact:  Lisa Schwantes, Region 5 Communications Manager

970.385.1428 office /970.749.2015 mobile

lisa.schwantes@state.co.us 

San Juan Basin Health Officials Recommend Flu Vaccine Before End of November

Health Officials Recommend Flu Vaccine Before End of November

October 31, 2016

Claire Ninde

San Juan Basin Health

(970) 335-2044

communications@sjbhd.org

San Juan Basin Health (SJBH) reminds residents that everyone six months and older should get a flu vaccine by the end of November as flu activity can peak as early as December. Yearly flu vaccines are the first and most important step in protecting against influenza disease.

Flu is among the most common respiratory illnesses in the United States, infecting millions of people every flu season.  Flu vaccination can reduce flu illnesses, doctor visits, and missed work and school due to flu, as well as prevent flu-related hospitalizations. The more people who get vaccinated, the more people will be protected from flu, including older populations, very young children, pregnant women, and those with certain health conditions who are more vulnerable to serious flu complications.

This season, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has two important updates for flu vaccines:

·         Only injectable flu vaccines should be used. The nasal spray vaccine is not recommended for use during the 2016-2017 season because of concerns about its effectiveness.

·         Recommendations for those with egg-related reactions have changed, with fewer restrictions on vaccine options than in the past. Please see your provider if you have sensitivity to eggs to learn about your options.

SJBH encourages residents to receive their immunizations in their medical home with their primary care provider. Flu shots are a preventive care benefit for both children and adults covered under the Affordable Care Act and for most people the immunization will be free. For more information, visit https://www.healthcare.gov/what-are-my-preventive-care-benefits/.

SJBH has a limited supply of specialized flu vaccine including high dose flu shots for seniors and preservative free vaccine for pregnant women. Additionally, SJBH can provide flu shots for eligible children and adults who qualify for federally supported vaccines if they are unable to receive them from their primary care provider.

Durango - appointments available Tuesday through Thursday. Call (970)247-5702 Monday – Friday, 8:30-4:30 to schedule an appointment.

Pagosa Springs - appointments available the first Thursday of every month and during special flu clinics offered in November and December. Call (970)264-2409 Monday – Friday, 8:30-4:30 to schedule an appointment.

San Juan Basin Health is a local public health agency, governed by a seven member local Board of Health, serving all residents of La Plata and Archuleta counties. For over 75 years, San Juan Basin Health has improved the health and environment of the Southwest Colorado community.

Enjoy a safe Halloween with NFPA's fire safety tips

NFPA - For Immediate Release

October 26, 2015 – With Halloween just around the corner, children will soon be out in costume trekking through festive displays in search of candy. However, more than ghosts could be lurking amongst the mid-fall fun, as Halloween costumes and decorations present a number of hidden fire hazards. Fortunately, by following some simple safety precautions from the National Fire Protection Association(NFPA), you can ensure a day of safe fun for your family and trick-or-treaters. 

“Halloween has become such a festive time of year and we want people to enjoy decorating their homes, wearing colorful costumes and getting in the fall spirit,” said Lorraine Carli, NFPA’s vice president of Outreach and Advocacy, “but this holiday can quickly turn hazardous if proper precautions aren’t taken.” According to Carli, fire risks include candle decorations and billowing costumes with long-trailing fabric. 

NFPA’s most recent statistics show that decorations were the first item to be ignited in an average of 860 reported home structure fires per year from 2009-2013, causing an estimated average of one civilian death, 41 civilian injuries and $13.4 million in direct property damage. Nearly half of all decoration fires in homes are the result of decorations being too close to a heat source. Thirty-eight percent were started by candles and one-sixth began in the living room, family room or den. 

Visit the Sparky the Fire Dog® website to find tip sheets, kids’ activities, a pumpkin-carving template and more. Parents and teachers can also utilize NFPA’s simple Halloween fire safety tip graphic. 

In a safety video, NFPA’s Lisa Braxton says planning ahead can help make Halloween fire-safe. Taking simple precautions, like making sure costumes and decorations are flame-resistant, can make the difference between a safe and tragic holiday. 

Improve the safety of your Halloween by following these tips from NFPA: 

• Costumes: When choosing a costume, stay away from billowing or long-trailing fabric. If you are making your own costume, choose material that won’t easily ignite if it comes into contact with heat or flame.
• Visibility: Provide children with flashlights to carry for lighting or glow sticks as part of their costumes. If your child is wearing a mask, make sure the eye holes are large enough so he/she can see clearly out of it.
• Flammable decorations: Dried flowers, cornstalks and crepe paper are highly flammable. Keep these and other decorations well away from all open flames and heat sources, including light bulbs and heaters.
• Candles/jack-o-lanterns: It is safest to use a glow stick or battery-operated candle in a jack-o-lantern. If you use a real candle, use extreme caution. When lighting candles inside jack-o-lanterns, use long fireplace-style matches or a utility lighter. If you choose to use candle decorations, make sure to keep them well attended at all times. Do not leave them near flammable objects or where trick-or-treaters may walk. Remind your children to avoid open flames. Make sure children are watched at all times when candles are lit.
• Exits: Remember to keep exits clear of decorations, so nothing blocks escape routes. 

About the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA)
Founded in 1896, NFPA is a global, nonprofit organization devoted to eliminating death, injury, property and economic loss due to fire, electrical and related hazards. The association delivers information and knowledge through more than 300 consensus codes and standards, research, training, education, outreach and advocacy; and by partnering with others who share an interest in furthering the NFPA mission. For more information visit www.nfpa.org. All NFPA codes and standards can be viewed online for free at www.nfpa.org/freeaccess.

Atmos Energy Crews Continue to Restore Natural Gas Service in Durango

Media Contact:

Darwin Winfield

970–518-5339

Atmos Energy Crews Continue to Restore Natural Gas Service in Durango

DURANGO, Colo. (October 25, 2016) – Atmos Energy crews will be working throughout the day and into the night to restore natural gas service to several hundred customers following a natural gas outage Monday night in Durango. The cause of the outage is related to recent maintenance work on a natural gas line where air may have entered the pipeline.  

“As part of normal operating procedures during an outage, a trained technician must first turn the gas off at each home so that we can safely purge the air from the pipeline and then restore service. We will begin relighting appliances as early as noon today,” said Winfield. "If you do not have natural gas service after returning home from work today, please call customer service at 1-888-286-6700.”

Atmos Energy will have trained technicians going door-to-door to relight natural gas appliances to residential customers living East of downtown Durango.

Winfield says in order to relight natural gas appliances there must be someone 18 years old or older to allow Atmos Energy technicians inside the home.

If you smell gas inside your home, please leave the area immediately and from a safe distance call 911 and the Atmos Energy emergency line at 1-866-322-8667.

About Atmos Energy

Atmos Energy Corporation, headquartered in Dallas, is the country's largest natural-gas-only distributor, serving more than 3 million natural gas distribution customers in about 1,400 communities in eight states from the Blue Ridge Mountains in the East to the Rocky Mountains in the West. Atmos Energy manages company-owned natural gas pipeline and storage assets, including one of the largest intrastate natural gas pipeline systems in Texas and also provides natural gas marketing and procurement services to industrial, commercial and municipal customers primarily in the Midwest and Southeast. For more information, visit www.atmosenergy.com.  Atmos Energy can also be accessed through social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube.

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Durango Fire Open House - Downtown - Station 2

Morning Update: Atmos Energy Continues to Restore Natural Gas Service in Durango

PRESS RELEASE

Media Contact:

Darwin Winfield

970–518-5339

Morning Update: Atmos Energy Continues to Restore Natural Gas Service  in Durango

DURANGO, Colo (Sept. 28, 2016) –Atmos Energy crews will be out in force early this morning to relight natural gas appliances at more than 550 homes and businesses throughout Durango.

“Residents can expect to see our work crews knocking on doors as early as 6 a.m. in order to safely restore their natural gas service,” said Darwin Winfield, Atmos Energy Manager of Public Affairs. “We hope to complete these relights as quickly as possible so business can reopen and residents can return to their daily routines.”

If you have an emergency and need immediate assistance, please call the Atmos Energy emergency line at 1-866-322-8667.

Atmos Energy crews from across the state worked on restoration efforts throughout the night in the areas South of E. 5th Street to the North at W. 21st Street including Camino Del Rio to E. 4th Avenue.

The natural gas outage occurred around 12:45 p.m. Tuesday when a contractor accidentally hit a natural gas line located in an alley between 4^th and 5^th Avenues. The gas line has been repaired.

Winfield says if you smell gas inside your home, please leave the area immediately and from a safe distance call 911 and the Atmos Energy emergency line at 1-866-322-8667.

About Atmos Energy

Atmos Energy Corporation, headquartered in Dallas, is one of the country's largest natural-gas-only distributors, serving more than 3 million natural gas distribution customers in about 1,400 communities in eight states from the Blue Ridge Mountains in the East to the Rocky Mountains in the West. Atmos Energy manages company-owned natural gas pipeline and storage assets, including one of the largest intrastate natural gas pipeline systems in Texas and also provides natural gas marketing and procurement services to industrial, commercial and municipal customers primarily in the Midwest and Southeast. For more information, visit www.atmosenergy.com.  Atmos Energy can also be accessed through social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube.

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