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November 2008
November 1, 2008
November 2008
Noteworthy Notes
The big news is of course, the elections. Are you looking forward to Tuesday, November 4th? Besides the obvious excitement of a new president, if you are one of the “lucky” people receiving automated phone calls for various candidates, you will surely appreciate it when you pick up the phone and a real person is there!
The economy is down but so is gas! The ARCO on 18th and Andreson is selling regular unleaded for $2.29 as of Monday.
Going Green
Did you know there was a web page that asks the question: What does it mean to Go Green? Readers are then allowed to submit answers. It's very interesting to read what folks have to say...most of the answers are relatively alike and some of them are surely just a joke, but some of them cause you to think about pros and cons of Going Green. Check it out for yourself and make it a priority to do one thing which will help the environment. Here's this month's tip: Unplug appliances when not in use. Easy! Save money! Save resources!
Snuff Out Danger From Seasonal Fires
Submitted by Denise Koopman, LUTCF, COUNTRY Financial
A turkey’s roasting in the oven, the stovetop full with all the fixings. The table is set with fine silver and beautifully burning candles. To many, it’s the ideal holiday scene. To fire prevention experts, it’s a scene that could go terribly wrong within a matter of seconds.
To find out just how quickly your home could go up in smoke, COUNTRY Financial teamed with firefighters to demonstrate common winter season fires. We tested what might happen if an unattended candle fell onto flammable materials. The entire room was consumed by fire within 3 minutes. Our test with a space heater fire engulfed a room in less than 4 minutes.
Fire damage is costly. The average COUNTRY client’s space heater fire claim is $20,000. The average candle fire claim is $28,000. National Fire Protection Association statistics show candle fires alone caused $459 million worth of damage to homes last year.
With all the dangers lurking behind the beauty and warmth of the typical holiday scene, it’s not surprising that late fall/early winter is the peak season for home fires.
I encourage you to follow these 12 tips to help secure your home from fire:
Candles
1. Never leave burning candles unattended.
2. Keep lit candles away from children and pets.
3. Keep wicks trimmed to ¼ inch.
4. Always burn candles in or on holders placed on a level, heat resistant surface.
5. Keep candles away from flammable items.
6. Never let candles burn for more than 4 hours at one time.
Space Heaters
7. Select a space heater with a guard around the flame areas of the heating element.
8. Choose a heater that has been certified by a nationally recognized testing laboratory such as Underwriters Laboratories (UL).
9. Make sure the heater has an automatic tip switch, a device that turns off electric or kerosene heaters if they tip over.
10. Place heaters on a level, hard, nonflammable surface – do not place on rugs, carpets, tables or countertops.
11. Keep the heater at least 3 feet from bedding, drapes, furniture or other flammable items.
12. Turn off the space heater when you leave the area, and never leave a space heater on while sleeping or if you leave home.
So before your thoughts turn to the delights of Halloween treats, Thanksgiving eats and December’s sweets, take some time to make sure your family and home are protected from the dangers of home fires.
Call Denise Koopman at COUNTRY Financial for a Home Safety Checklist at 887-2211. Go into this season with the peace of mind that your home and family will be protected for many years to come.
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