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FDNY Reminder: Check Wiring On Space Heaters

Fire officials have identified electric space heaters with faulty wiring as the number one cold weather killer, and the leading cause of fires during cold weather months.

Sparks from electric heaters with frayed or worn wires set off the majority of fires each year during cold weather months, FDNY officials said. “They are, without a doubt, the main cause of residential fires during the winter months.”

Fire officials also advised Queens residents that they have the right to demand that their landlords install smoke detectors in apartments. “Landlords are required by law to provide and install smoke detectors,” officials said. “After that, it’s up to the residents to check batteries in the smoke detectors and replace batteries when needed,” officials said.

FDNY officials said homeowners should install a smoke alarm on each floor of a home. Test and clean the alarms each month and check batteries to determine that they are working, officials said.

FDNY officials are offering the following tips for residents who use electric heaters:

  • Never connect space heaters to extension cords because the heater can overload electrical circuits, sparking a fire.
  • Do not use space heaters for long periods of time. Space heaters are designed to provide temporary warmth, fire officials said. When not in use, the heaters should be unplugged.
  • Keep space heaters at least 3 feet from furniture, cleaning products and any other combustible materials.
  • Keep space heaters away from water. Never use the heaters in bathrooms or other rooms where they might come in contact with water, fire officials said.
  • Always open a window slightly when using space heaters, to improve ventilation.
  • Check heater cords to determine if they are frayed or damaged. Heaters with defective cords should be discarded, officials said.
  • Never use space heaters to dry clothing. Clothing can ignite and spark a blaze.

What should you do if your smoke detector goes off, if you notice a fire at home or in a home or apartment in your neighborhood? FDNY officials urge you to stay calm, follow these suggestions – and NEVER try to fight a fire on your own.

  • If your clothes catch on fire, stop in your tracks, drop to the floor, and roll over and over to smother the flames.
  • If a fire breaks out in your home, or in a non-fireproof apartment building, GET OUT as quickly as you can.
  • If you live in a multiple dwelling and the fire is not in your apartment, STAY in your apartment. Do not run into smoke-filled halls or stairwells.
  • Call 911 from your apartment, if you can.
  • If you must leave, feel doors with the back of your hand before you try to open them. If they are hot, find another way out. Keep as close to the floor as you can. Smoke and heat rise, and the air is clearer and cooler near the floor.
  • ALWAYS CLOSE DOORS BEHIND YOU!
  • If you are unable to get out, stay near a window and near the floor. Close the door and stuff a towel in the bottom of the door to prevent smoke from entering the room. Signal for help if you can – wave a cloth or sheet out the window, and yell for help. MAKE SOMEONE ON THE STREET KNOW YOU ARE THERE!
  • When leaving a burning home or apartment, do not stop to take any material possessions with you.
  • Always try to take your pets with you if you must leave a burning building.
  • Never use the elevator.

Fire officials suggest that you keep a home fire extinguisher and learn how to use it.

Renters should consider contacting their insurance carrier to discuss available “Renters Insurance” plans, which will provide coverage for losses caused by fire.

Fire officials and local firefighters will be making the rounds of Queens neighborhoods as part of the FDNY Fire Safety Month, providing demonstrations and information on how to stay fire-free during the winter months – and throughout the year. For additional information, call 311 or logon to the FDNY website at www.FDNY.nyc.gov

Queens residents who cannot afford to buy a smoke alarm are urged to call the Queens Borough President’s Office for information on how to obtain them at low or no cost. Residents can also call their local Community Board or 311 to learn how to obtain free or low-cost smoke alarms, fire officials said.

 

Maspeth Sinkhole Swallows SUV In Maspeth

The NYC Department of Design and Construction (DDC) is investigating to determine if ongoing tunneling caused a sinkhole that swallowed up an SUV on a street in Maspeth on Thanksgiving Day.

Authorities said the SUV was parked overnight on 70th Street in Maspeth on November 25th to 26th – above ongoing construction of a new, 3,000-foot-long sewer line. At some point overnight the street collapsed, and the vehicle fell into a sinkhole.

The SUV, which had to be pulled out of the sinkhole, suffered front end damage, dents and “bruises,” authorities said.

One house in the area lost power through Thursday evening, fire officials said.

A DDC spokesperson said the agency began construction on the project approximately three months ago, tunneling and installing a sewer line in the area, 60-feet below ground.

No injuries were reported in connection with the sinkhole, authorities said.

An investigation is ongoing.

 

Glendale ‘Stop & Shop’ Supermarket Offers Contact-Free Pickup

A Stop & Shop supermarket at 89-89 Union Turnpike in Glendale has launched a new, contact-free pickup service for online customers who choose to have their groceries loaded into their vehicle.

Customers are urged to visit www.stopandshop.com or download the Stop & Shop app by selecting “pickup,” and then driving to the Glendale store. Upon arrival, customers are required to call the store to alert representatives of their arrival, a Stop & Shop spokesperson said in a prepared statement.

Shoppers, who select a pickup time while placing their order, will then be directed to a designated pickup spot where a store representative will load groceries in their vehicle.

Shoppers are required to wear a face mask or covering during the loading process, and to limit the number of people in their vehicle, where possible. All Stop & Shop pickup associates will be wearing masks and following the same sanitizing precautions as in-store associates, including surface sanitizing regulations and hand washing regulations required under NYState COVID law.

The Glendale store is the second in the Stop & Shop chain to offer the service in Queens. The service was first offered at the Stop & Shop supermarket at 74-17 Grand Avenue in Maspeth.

“We’re excited to offer our customers the convenience of shopping online for all their favorite items, and then picking up that order from the comfort of their vehicle,” Tom Valerakis, Glendale store manager said. “We hope this service helps make things easier for them.”

Stop & Shop reserves the right to place limits on certain items, based on demand. A $30 minimum is required on all pickup orders and a $2.95 service fee will be applied at the checkout.

For more information on the new service, or to schedule a pickup visit www.stopandshop.com or download the Stop & Shop mobile app.

New customers can receive the service free for 90 days by entering SSFREEPICKUP at checkout.

 

New York Cares Coat Drive – Now More Than Ever

Each winter, tens of thousands of New Yorkers face a cold choice – buy a winter coat or put food on the table. Since 1989, New York Cares has helped warm those in need by collecting more than a million coats for distribution to children and adults throughout the five boroughs.

Now more than ever, New Yorkers are counting on acts of warmth from their neighbors to make it through the holiday season. Not since the Great Depression have so many people experienced hunger, unemployment and severe illness, a New York Cares spokesperson said in a prepared statement. “Basic needs like food and warm clothing compete with one another as families and individuals face cruel choices.”

Officials at New York Cares ae urging New Yorkers to dig into their closets and storage spaces to help those in need face the winter chill.

You can help this winter by donating your gently used coats, or by making a financial donation to the New York Cares Coat Drive.

“Despite the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, community organizations and coat suppliers have stepped up to make sure we can supply more new, high-quality coats while keeping everyone healthy and safe,” the spokesperson said. “When you donate $20 or more to the 2020 Coat Drive, your dollar goes further and ensures that brand new coats reach people who need them most.”

New York Cares is urging community organizations to hold fundraisers and donation drives to help support its ongoing virtual and in-person coat donations.

Coats may be dropped off at all NYPD precincts or at collection centers located in Queens and throughout the city.

For the location of police precincts and collection centers, or to make a financial donaton go to” www.nycares.org.

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