We all use extension cords throughout our homes and offices. How many of us overload them? How many of us routinely check them for safety? According to a recent story in the Washington Post, a local family’s home and almost everything in it were destroyed by fire because of an overloaded extension cord. After the fire, Alan Etter, spokesman for the D. C. Fire and Emergency Medical Services, emphasized that families should make sure that their smoke alarms are working properly and that all extension cords have the Underwriter Laboratories’ stamp. “You have to make sure you use an extension cord that is designed for the specific use you’re using it for.”
For a complete listing of guidelines for safe extension cord usage, please visit the Consumer Product Safety Commission website.
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