GENERATOR SAFETY
When the power goes off, many residents turn to emergency generators to
power refrigerators, freezers, lights, fans and other appliances. If you use a generator, extreme caution is
required. While convenient and useful, generators can create hazards for
homeowners and electric utility workers.
Always read and follow the manufacturer’s
safety and operating instructions.
Carbon Monoxide (CO)… is a colorless, odorless
and tasteless poison gas. It is a
component of the exhaust from the generator engine. The symptoms of exposure are subtle, but deadly. Never run your generator inside your home or
garage on in any 
other
enclosed space. Inexpensive CO
detectors, similar to smoke alarms, are readily available and recommended as an
added safety precaution.
After Hurricane Charley, the Cape Coral Fire Department conducted
over 400 safety inspections of households in the City using generators. A quarter of the homes had potentially
dangerous levels of Carbon Monoxide in their houses, and ten people required
hospital treatment.
To avoid Carbon Monoxide poisoning, never use a
generator indoors or in attached garages. Only operate the generator outdoors
in a well-ventilated, dry area away from air intakes to the home.
To avoid electrocution, plug individual
appliances into the generator using heavy duty, outdoor rated cords with a wire
gauge adequate for the appliance load.
Do not operate more appliances and equipment than the output rating of
the generator. This will overload and
damage the generator and possibly create a fire hazard.
If a generator is connected to the house
wiring, the home must have a transfer switch installed by a licensed
electrician. A transfer switch connects your house to the generator and
disconnects it from the utility power.
This prevents back feeding, or energizing circuits
outside your home. Back feeding most
commonly occurs when a generator is connected directly to the electric panel or
circuit in a home. Feeding power back
into the utility system during an outage will energize the transformer serving
the house and could pose a serious threat crews working to restore power in the
area who may not know they are working with an energized line.
Do not store fuel indoors or try to refuel
a generator while it is running. Gasoline (and other flammable liquids)
should be stored outside of living areas in properly labeled, non-glass safety
containers. They should not be stored in
a garage if a fuel-burning appliance is in the garage. The vapor from gasoline can travel invisibly
along the ground and be ignited by pilot lights or electric arcs caused by
turning on the lights. Avoid spilling
fuel on hot components. Put out all
flames or cigarettes when handling gasoline.
Always have a fully charged, approved fire extinguisher located near the
generator. Never attempt to refuel a portable
generator while it is running.