After several vehicle block heater fires, WFPS shares some helpful information to keep vehicles and homes safe this winter season.
Public Education Officer, Justin Kutzak says, “We’ve had such nice weather and not many people have been plugging their vehicles in. Now that it’s gotten colder, people are seeing that it’s important to plug the cars in and maybe they haven’t checked their block heater cord or extension cord and it has some sort of damage that has gone unnoticed.”
To make sure everything is fully functional, he says, “Have a look at the cord and block heater. Make sure the block heater plug on the vehicle has all of the prongs and nothing is missing and there are no exposed cords showing. Also, make sure that there’s nothing damaged or frayed.”
While some people drive accidentally away before unplugging the car, Kutzak says, “We’ve all done it at least once in our lives where we’ve driven out without unplugging the cord and notice later on and put it back on the vehicle and keep using it. If you’ve done that, it’s best to just get rid of it. If you notice any damage, just throw it out and get a new one. It’s not worth taking the risk.”
Choosing the right type of cord is important to keep the vehicle safe. “Make sure it’s rated for what you want to use it for. If you want it for outdoors, make sure the extension cord is rated for outdoors. One thing to note is that extension cords aren’t meant to replace permanent fixtures or wiring. If you’re using the cord in lieu of an electrician come in and run another outlet to another room, that’s not good. They’re meant for temporary use only and not for permanent use,” Kutzak says.
Kutzak says an important reminder is to only plug in the vehicle when outside. “Don’t plug the vehicle in if you’re parking inside the garage. If it’s in there, it doesn’t really get cold enough for it to affect the car.”
He also reminds residents to make sure that their smoke detectors are working correctly.