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Coco Warner ReportingFirefighters also want to remind us about properly storing flammable materials. Do you know just where you should keep the gasoline for the lawn mower, the propane for the barbecue and the paint for the deck? NOT in your home-- that's the main message.
The best place to store flammable materials is in a detached building. Last summer a motor home carrying propane tanks caught fire along I-15. The gas was a major accelerant in that fire. So is the gasoline that powers your lawnmower and the paint that beautifies your home.
Jay Torgersen, Unified Fire Authority: "Don't ever have them inside your home, but don't even have them close to any kind of flammable source like a water heater or a furnace or anything like that."
Matt Morrison, Unified Fire Authority: "You want to keep it in a detached building, in a shed in your backyard. You don't want to keep it in the basement of your home."
People also like to keep fuel on hand for emergency preparedness, but remember these are limits and guidelines.
Matt Morrison: "Five gallons of gasoline is the maximum you'd normally have in a house. A lot of people have kerosene that they use for emergency fuel storage. The recommendation for that is you only buy a year's worth."
Try and store all flammable materials in a shed or your garage. Keep them out of reach of children and store them away from heating equipment.
Also, make sure they're in suitable containers with lids that fit properly. And don't be afraid to call for help if you need it.
Jay Torgersen: "If it's a large spill, you can call the fire department. If it's just small amounts, if you have cat litter or something like that, it's a good absorbent to clean small spills up."
