As the air turns cooler and leaves drop from the trees, keeping in mind fall season safety tips helps keep you and your family protected from seasonal dangers.
Home heating
• Make sure your home heating system is in good working order.
• Have a professional evaluate the system and address any potential problems.
• Have you chimneys inspected and cleaned.
• Remember, if you are using a space heater, allow at least three feet of empty space around the heater.
• Never use a stove or oven to heat your residence. Leaf safety
• Walkways and stairs should be kept free of leaves and other objects that may cause a slip-and-fall injuries.
• Keep your driveway clear of leaves.
• Wet leaves can create a slip hazard not only for walking but driving as well.
• Use extra caution if you are cleaning your gutters. Shoes may become wet causing you to slip as you climb a ladder.
• Make sure the ladder is at the correct angle and on solid ground.
• Raking leaves can be stressful, take frequent breaks.
Open burning
• If you plan to burn leaves, first learn about outdoor burning regulations in your area.
• Call your local fire department about outdoor burning regulations.
• The burning of leaves or other plant debris should never be conducted near your home.
• Check the weather forecasts before outdoor burning; you should never burn in windy conditions. Driving tips
• Remember that wet leaves on the roadway can become slippery, so use caution.
• During the fall season, deer activity increases, so be alert to deer entering the roadway.
• Leaves on the roadway can cover road hazards such a potholes or objects on the pavement.
• Children love to play in piles of leaves. Use extra caution where leaves are piled at the curbside.