Safety Archives - Page 5 of 6 - O'Connor Insurance Agency

Carbon Monoxide Detectors Save Family

November 30, 2015 triplestrength

A friend of the O’Connor Insurance Agency told the story of waking up to see a fire-engine parked in his street. Both concerned and curious, he ventured out to see the young family who live across the street standing on the porch with both firemen and men dressed in hardhats and reflective vests scurrying on and off their porch. The firemen and utility workers were responding to a carbon monoxide alarm.

Carbon monoxide (CO) is a colorless, odorless, tasteless gas. CO is a byproduct of combustion, and can be produced by anything that burns fuel from automobiles, charcoal grills, and gas appliances. CO becomes dangerous when it is able to accumulate, typically when combustion gases are not able to vent properly.

Carbon monoxide poisons humans by displacing oxygen in the blood. Breathing in CO can lead to flu like symptoms, headaches and nausea, weakness, dizziness, shortness of breath, and unconsciousness. If a person falls unconscious in an environment with a dangerous concentration of carbon monoxide, they can die.

In her mother’s arms was their little girl, being very well behaved and taking in all the commotion. Mom and Dad were drinking brew from the local coffee shop. It was a cool morning, so our friend invited them to come into his house.

Our friend’s neighbor had wisely installed a carbon monoxide detector on all three floors of his home. They awoke early to the sound of the alarm. As the neighbor investigated, the second floor alarm sounded. As they quickly dressed and got outside to fresh air, the third floor alarm went off. Firemen tested the air in the home and found that the CO levels were indeed dangerous. Without the detectors, it is quite likely that this little family would have lost their lives. Thanks to their foresight, all is well.

In this case, the high CO levels were caused by a furnace in need of servicing. A dirty furnace can interfere with how exhaust gasses vent and can shortly flood a dwelling with poisonous gas.

As cold weather draws near, we encourage all our friends to have their furnaces professionally inspected and cleaned, and to make sure their fire and carbon monoxide detectors are in good working order. Most of us know that when we change our clocks we should change our smoke alarm and carbon monoxide detector batteries, but in addition experts recommend you replace detectors after 5 to 7 years. Most municipal fire departments can provide and even install these life-saving devices at no additional cost to the homeowner.

Criminal Minds

April 14, 2015 triplestrength

By Karen O’Connor Corrigan, CIC, CIRMS

Is your community association properly protecting its funds against theft? Today’s newspapers are riddled with stories of trusted property managers and board members embezzling large sums of money over long periods of time. Do not be the victim of a false sense of security just because your community has Fidelity coverage. Community associations are non-profit organizations governed by volunteers, therefore they need unique coverages. Take a closer look at your Fidelity policy.

This type of insurance was created for businesses, which have employees. Most community associations do not have employees. Therefore, you should be sure your Fidelity policy is endorsed to cover dishonest acts by your non-compensated board members. An association often outsources the community management or accounting functions. In that case, the policy must be modified to protect against theft by that company’s employees.

The following is a checklist to make sure your community association has the appropriate coverage to protect their funds.

Employee Theft is a confusing term for community associations since they typically do not have employees. Yet, this coverage is essential to protect the funds from dishonest acts by first parties who are known to have access. This coverage should be endorsed to cover the association’s:

Board Members
Committee Members
Property Manager

Accounting Service i.e. City and Village Tax Office

Forgery or Alteration of your checks of your own checks by third parties such as someone stealing your check from the mail, and then cashing it.

Computer Fraud is for a third party that uses a computer to obtain money from your account. An example is a third party using a computer to create imitation checks in your name.

Funds Transfer is needed by all communities to protect against others impersonating you to manipulate your funds. The person could assume the board member or manager’s identity to make a transfer through computer hacking or other means. Imagine a person using the transit number at the bottom of your checks to make telephone purchases.

True Tales of Twisted Minds

Unfortunately, fraud, embezzlement, and theft are more common than we may realize. These are just a few cases where the trust was broken:

St. Peters on-site manager accused of embezzling over $250,000 over several years. $80,000 was stolen via falsified checks and credit card payments. The Board was not suspicious until a change in accounting software was made.
Chapel Hill Estates in Town & Country lost more than $50,000 over 2 years to their Treasurer.
Fall Creek Condominium in Branson Missouri employed an on-site manager from May 2011 to September 2012, during which time the manager allegedly issued multiple checks, transferred funds, created cashier’s checks in her name, and made deposits into her personal bank account or her company bank account called, “ME.” The allegations exceed $300,000.
Maryland House Condominium in the central west end had a bookkeeper who pleaded guilty after being accused of embezzling more than $70,000 over a 2 year period.
$109,000 was stolen from a condominium in the DeBaliviere place neighborhood. A volunteer diverted association money for his personal expenses over 2 years.
For over a decade, the President of Doral Manor Condominium in west county converted over $300,000 in association fees to his own use.
Two owners of a property management company stole over $2 million from multiple communities to pay off a debt on a real estate project.
$1.3 million stolen from 12 community associations by management company VP to keep management company from bankruptcy.
A management company had over 400 communities. Over 2 years, the owner embezzled over $2.2 million by transferring the funds to himself or to a business in which he had financial interest.

Five Facts About Workers Compensation

July 3, 2014 triplestrength

In the state of Missouri, your business is not required to carry Workers Compensation coverage if you have fewer than five employees, with the exception of construction trades. Construction firms have to carry Workers Compensation if you have one employee other than yourself. In Illinois, you are required to have coverage if you have three or more employees, with the exception of construction trades where, like Missouri, you have to have the insurance with one or more employees.

That said, even small businesses who are not required to have Workers Compensation should know the risk of not being covered and the benefits of being covered. Here are five facts about Workers Compensation every business owner should know:

1 Accidents Happen – Even if your business is wrapping pillows in bubblewrap, one of your employees can be injured. Having a safe workplace is key to keeping the cost of coverage under control, but injuries can occur in even the safest environment.

2 You Can Get Coverage for Any Number of Employees – Workers Compensation is available for businesses even if you are the only employee. With coverage, you are protected for medical expenses, disability, and lost wages in the event one of your employees – even part time or contract employees – are injured while working.

3 Penalties are Steep – If your employee is injured on the job, and you lack required Workers Compensation, the penalties can be steep, a minimum of $50,000 fine!

4 You Can Be Sued Personally – Many small businesses feel a kinship with their employees, but that does not mean an employee will not sue your company – or even you personally. Depending on how your business is organized, the employer could be liable for a settlement, even if the company goes out of business. As much as you may like your employees, it is smart to have insurance that protects your own family and future.

5 Workers Compensation is Affordable – When you consider the costs and consequences of losing an employee to injury – even just for a few weeks, the cost of a policy makes a great deal of economic sense. Your independent agents at O’Connor Insurance can help you find the kind of coverage you need at a price that will fit your budget.

Safety Tips When Taking Deliveries or Getting Repairs At Your Home

May 28, 2014 triplestrength

A client called O’Connor Insurance about a loss due to theft. Some valuables had been stolen. Some weeks later, the theft was traced to a person working for their landscape company who had been allowed into the house to use the restroom. Several of the items were recovered, and the landscape company paid for the rest of the missing items.

From time to time we have to invite people we have yet to meet into our homes. We presume that those persons are trustworthy because we trust the companies with whom we do business. Even so, it is not uncommon for things like identity theft or burglaries to originate with people we trust. With just a few thoughtful steps, you can reduce your risk when accepting a person into your home.

Imagine if you are having a new refrigerator delivered. Walk from the door where the delivery persons will enter to the kitchen. Look around and what do you see? Any mail laying out? Do you have keys hanging on hooks? Any particularly valuable items in along the path? Is your calendar posted showing when you will be out of town?

Do Business with Reputable Companies – Companies that send out delivery workers or maintenance and repair staff ought to run periodic background checks on their employees. Make sure you ask specifically before buying an appliance or engaging a company to repair something in your home.

Tidy Up – A stack of bills is a very tempting target for an identity thief. Even if the person who swipes your mail is not the thief, they may sell your letters to an identity thief. Put away valuables and keep your computers off. Walk through the area where the men and women working in your home are going to be and remove anything that might be tempting.

Ask for Names and ID – There is no reason a company will not give you the last name and first name of whoever is coming to your home, and it is perfectly reasonable to ask for ID. Should someone be tempted to take something from your home, just the fact that you have their full name may be enough to deter them.

Have an Inventory – Whether or not a burglar is someone you met, having an inventory of your personal property is a great idea. Keep it in a safe place, even off-site such as at a safety deposit box or the home of a trusted friend. A well-organized inventory – especially with photos – will help authorities recover your property and your insurance company to replace that which is lost for good.

If you have questions about how much coverage you have for your personal items for your home, condo or apartment, contact your independent agent at O’Connor Insurance. We can help you identify any gaps in coverage, or find ways to get better coverage for your budget.

Emergency Kit for you Car

January 28, 2014 triplestrength

Any number of authorities, including your smart uncle who always has a way to get out of a jam, will tell you to have an emergency kit in your car. After a recent accident, I decided to make sure I had one that included some of the things I would have wanted to have had the police, fire and ambulance not arrived so quickly.

Most of the stuff I have I picked up here and there, much of it from a discount store. The nice duffle bag cost me three bucks at a thrift store. Several more of the items I had laying around the house or are re-purposed from stuff I might otherwise throw away or recycled.

Here is the list of items in my kit.

Jumper Cables – This is the most likely tool you will need on a cold day. Of all the things in your kit, this is what you should not skimp out on. Heavier cables carry more current, which in turn allows your car to start up right away from a jump. Mine will work on both top-post mounted batteries and side-post.

Gloves and Shop Cloths – A buck or two for a pair of cotton gloves and a set of shop cloths. Great for changing a tire and cleaning up afterward.

Trash Bags – I keep a couple on board in case you need to work on a dirty surface or pick up a bunch of broken pieces in a minor fender-bender. Can also help keep you dry or warm in a pinch.

Half Gallon Bottle of Water – Filled about ¾ of the way, this will likely freeze in the winter, but it will still come in very handy. Stranded in a ditch, even the frozen bottle will yield drinking water if you keep the bottle near the floor heater vent.

Duct Tape & Zip Ties – There are few problems that cannot be helped with duct tape and zip ties.

Bandages and Tape – Big gauze bandages and a few small band-aids will handle all but the most serious wounds until help arrives.

Blankets – I picked up a pair of polar fleece blankets at a discount store. You can also find such things at thrift stores. In an accident, a blanket can be the difference between life and death as they can prevent shock by keeping an injured person warm.

Emergency Blanket – These mylar and foil blankets coupled with a blanket will keep you toasty in all but the worst weather.

Food – Dried fruit, nut mixes, and breakfast bars will keep you in good spirits if you are stranded and waiting for help. Be mindful of their shelf life and replace them from time to time. You can also get “Meals Ready to Eat” at sporting good stores or from online retailers that are hearty packages of food with a very long shelf life, but bear in mind sitting in your hot car will have an effect on how they will taste. Replace accordingly.

Multi-Tool – For small repairs, this little gem is cheap and easy to use and can be a very handy in a tight spot. Knife, pliers, can opener, screwdriver – very, very handy.

Screwdriver – I just like having a real screwdriver in the field. Use one of those combo drivers that allow you to switch between flat and Phillips.

Ratchet-Tie & Rope – In a minor collision, this may allow you to drive away if you hood won’t stay down or your door will not stay shut. Same thing with a small hank of ¼” nylon cord.

Flashlight & Lightsticks – Another discount store find, the big lightstick will glow for several hours allowing you to conserve your cell phone battery. I keep an extra flashlight in the kit with the batteries removed. Batteries left in flashlights and other devices can end up corroding your flashlight rendering both useless.

Tissues – Stuck in the snow or otherwise stranded, you will be glad of these tissues should nature call.

Ten Bucks in Change – I walked out of the house without my wallet once and nearly ran out of gas on the way back. Stranded, you may be able to get a snack or a drink from a vending machine or maybe even use a pay phone.

Optional Items – These are a few things you may want to keep in the trunk as well.

Tire Repair Kit and Compressor, or a Can of Flat Fixer – This can help you if for some reason you cannot put the spare on. I actually have a tire patching kit in my car and a little compressor to air up the tire.

Failing that, you can get a can of aerosol tire sealant that will squirt a sealer into your tire as well as some air. Get over to a service station and air it up to full inflation as soon as you can. Your tire guy won’t like it when it comes time to rotate the tires, as it puts a sticky goo inside the tire. If you go the can of tire sealant, choose the can with a hose on the end rather than the kind with just a spout on top of the can. The hose will make it much easier to manage getting your tire sealed and re-inflated.

Storage – I happen to have a vacuum sealer, so I sealed up everything that needs to stay dry and clean, like the food and first aid kit. I even fit the bottle of water into a bag and sealed it against leakage. The tools, tape, jumper cables and other stuff I just stuffed into a plastic zipper bag since these are items I will most likely need in a minor roadside problem, like a flat tire or dead battery. Keeping your things in large zipper freezer bags will probably suffice.

Overall, this bag cost me about 40 bucks, much of it the cost of the jumper cables.

To Shovel, or Not to Shovel

January 24, 2014 triplestrength

To shovel, or not to shovel, that is the liability question. How quickly do you have to shovel the snow from your sidewalk after a snowfall. What are the consequences if you do not?

In the state of Missouri, the answer is a bit cloudy. Depending on where you live, municipal regulations may set a time period between the end of a snowfall and the time you must have your sidewalk cleared. Absent a law, your shoveling chores are going to be dependent on a “reasonable person” standard – is it reasonable to expect you to have your sidewalk cleared in X number of hours?

From a safety perspective, we recommend that you shovel your walk as soon as you can, and make sure to salt or add some sort of traction aid to any accumulated ice. Even in jurisdictions where you have no duty to clear “natural accumulation” as soon as pedestrians start packing it down with their foot traffic, you may be exposed to a city citation at a minimum, and a slip and fall lawsuit at the worst.

How about hiring someone to shovel for you? Those unable to safely shovel their walkway can usually contact a landscape company to do the work for a reasonable fee. A reputable company will provide adequate insurance for that worker should they be injured on the job. If a neighbor does the job for you and is injured on your property, you may have some liability.

For a modest premium, most insurance carriers who insure homes offer what is known as an “umbrella policy.” An umbrella policy covers those odd possibilities – such as someone getting injured on your property – so that your financial exposure is minimized. With a good umbrella policy in place, you can know that should someone slip and fall before you get that patch of ice cleared up, you are covered.

What I Wished I'd Done Before and After My Car Accident (Part 1)

January 23, 2014 triplestrength

One of our clients recently was involved in a car accident that totaled the car and involved the police, fire department and a trip to the hospital. Fortunately, everyone is going to recover. He put together this thoughtful review of things to remember before an accident, and afterward. This is the first part of two.

Read Part Two

Wear Your Seatbelt – Everyone in our car were belted in. The driver of the other car was not. While the airbag probably saved him from a very serious injury, there is a dome-shaped dent in his windshield where his head plowed into it. That can’t be good.

Most of the pain and soreness we are experiencing comes from the sudden impact and from being restrained by the seatbelt. But that is far less serious than the kind of injury one gets from being flung around the interior of a car – or from being thrown from the vehicle.

Modern engineering makes even the worst accidents completely survivable. Our paramedic said that he and his colleagues have come to crash sites where the car looked so mangled he was sure there would be some serious – even life-threatening – injuries, only to discover the passengers and drivers walked away with just a few bumps and bruises thanks to modern car design. That said, the number-one predictor of serious injury is whether or not seatbelts are worn. I guarantee you that other guy wishes he’d worn his.

Keep an Emergency Kit In Your Car – Based on an article posted on the O’Connor Insurance website, I started to gather together an emergency kit for our cars. I had a flashlight and batteries, a first aid kit, some chemical light sticks that you snap and they glow – safer than a flare – as well as two fleece throws I picked up at a discount store for warmth in the winter. I even have a small duffel bag I picked up for three bucks at a thrift store to keep it all clean and together.

All these components were sitting useless in my basement workshop the night of the accident.

I was able to use my cell phone as a flashlight, but I could not talk to the emergency dispatcher AND watch my family to make sure they were OK at the same time. I really wish I’d had that flashlight.

Help arrived quickly, but on that cold night we could not get blankets from the ambulance fast enough. The ladies were cold as they waited to be removed from the mangled car. If the accident had happened in a rural area, or if the weather had been in the teens (as it was a few days later), my wife and sister-in-law might have been in shock from their otherwise minor injuries long before help arrived.

I now have that bag put together and into our rental car, and it goes into her new vehicle along with a few additional items.

Did I mention Wear Your Seatbelt? – In case I didn’t, always wear your seatbelt. Not wearing your seatbelt is a good deal dumber than not packing your emergency kit, which is pretty dumb.

Keep A Copy of Your Insurance In Your Car – As my wife and sister-in-law were being looked after, the cops were after me to come up with the insurance card. I rifled through the glove box, and it was not there. My wife keeps it in her purse, which I did not know at the time.

At the hospital, I left the girls in the care of the medical staff and reported to registration to have myself looked over. As I was talking to the admissions nurse, two cops approached and asked if I had come up with an insurance card. I said I had not, thinking it would be OK to deal with this later. They informed me that if I did not produce it for them they would have to write a ticket.

I was peeved, but as it turns out the cops are that persistent for good reason. If the police reports do not have insurance information, it creates great difficulties down the road as the loss is worked out among the insurance companies. The police will look in your glove box for you to find an insurance card, but in our case my wife had to direct them to check out her purse, which allowed the police to wrap up their report.

Click here to read Part Two.

What I Wished I'd Done Before and After My Car Accident (Part 2)

January 23, 2014 triplestrength

One of our colleagues recently was involved in a car accident that totaled the car and involved the police, fire department and a trip to the hospital. Fortunately, everyone is going to recover. He put together this thoughtful review of things to remember before an accident, and afterward. This is the second part of two.

Read Part One

Take Pictures – Most of us have a cell phone that takes pictures. I took shots of the wreck that may come in handy down the road. If you can safely take photos, do so. The position of the two cars after they had come to rest clearly indicate that the other driver had come into our lane, and the police report should reflect that. Still, if YOU have the photo, you KNOW you have the photo, and you will be equipped should there be any future misunderstandings.

Everyone’s X-Rays came back clean, but the ladies are sporting some wicked-looking bruises. We took photos using my good camera to document the injuries. Within 24 hours, the minor boo-boo on my knee has mostly cleared up, so photos as soon as possible after the injury – and every day or so afterwards – may help ensure your insurance company has what it needs to be fair to all parties.

Be Nice – My wife loved her car – called it her Lime Squeeze. We are grateful that nobody was seriously injured, but frustrated that our property was destroyed by another person’s inattention. That said, it’s just metal and plastic (and what looks like a bunch of packing foam!) and can be replaced. The police told me that accidents are chaotic under the best of circumstances, and that angry drivers make the situation much worse.

I told the kid in the other car that I was glad he was OK. I encouraged him to get medical attention given how he bashed his melon into tempered glass at 30 miles per hour.

First responders are humans too, and like anyone else, they would rather help a nice person than a jerk. Do your best to stay calm and pleasant, as you would talking to your doctor or other respected member of the community.

Watch What You Say On Social Media – Bored at the hospital, I posted a photo of the car wreck to my Facebook page with the comment ‘That’ll Buff Out.’ Worried friends asked about our condition, and I said we are fine – just being checked out at the hospital. Later, I explained we had bumps and bruises, soreness and we would be following up with our various and sundry physicians.

I have always been treated fairly by insurance companies whether I have been at fault or not. A few days later, I was standing in the snow holding one of my grandkids’ toboggans while they ran to fetch coca. If a photo of that made it up to Facebook, I can see how that might muddy the waters of an injury claim, even though I was just holding the sled.

In retrospect, perhaps the world and our own interests would have been just fine without my attempt at creating my own personal Facebook meme.

Have Your Insurance Agent On your Cell Phone – I am grateful that I do not have my car insurance from a website company. I called my agent, left a message, and he got back to me to let me know he was on the case. A good agent can offer a great deal of reassurance – and insurance is all about peace of mind. I’ve come to really appreciate the expertise, advice and advocacy of an independent agent, and this event only served to reinforce that an independent agent is the way to go.

Adjust Your Seat Belt Since You Are Wearing It – Most modern cars allow the passenger or driver to adjust their seat belt to account for their height. A maladjusted seat belt could cause more injury than a properly adjusted one. If you visit your dealership, or the fire department someone will be happy to make sure your belt is adjusted for you and show you how to make adjustments.

If you have kids in car seats, the fire department will double-check to make sure the seat is installed correctly.

Click here to read Part One

Deck The Halls Safely – Tips from the CPSC

December 9, 2013 triplestrength

Nobody wants their holiday ruined by an accident. With thousands being hurt each year from accidents related to making your home festive, we at O’Connor Insurance Agency would like you to consider these safety tips.

WASHINGTON, D.C. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) estimates there were 15,000 injuries involving holiday decorating seen in emergency departments nationwide during November and December 2012. This is the fourth consecutive year these estimates have increased. In each year since 2009, there have been an estimated 12,000 or more emergency department visits. Falling from a ladder and stepping on broken ornaments may be funny in holiday movies but in real life, these and similar mishaps result in visits to the emergency room, or calls to fire departments, for thousands of consumers each year.

“There are about 250 injuries a day during the holiday season. Adding safety to your checklist can keep a holiday tradition from becoming a holiday tragedy,” said CPSC Acting Chairman Robert Adler. “Keep Christmas trees watered well, don’t leave candles unattended, and use caution whenever you are on a ladder.”

In 2012, the most frequently reported holiday decorating incidents seen in emergency departments involved falls (34%), lacerations (11%) and back strains (10%). When it comes to fires, from 2009 through 2011, fire departments nationwide responded to an average of 200 fires in which the Christmas tree was the first item ignited. These incidents resulted in 10 deaths, 20 injuries and $16 million in property loss. In addition, candle-related fires from 2009 through 2011 have resulted in an estimated 70 deaths, 680 injuries and $308 million in property loss.

To prevent fires, discard holiday lights sets with evidence of damage such as broken sockets and bare wires, water Christmas trees frequently, and always extinguish candles before leaving a room.

Consumers can use the following safety tips as a guide to help prevent decorating disasters this holiday season:

Ladders

1. Heed the warning labels on ladders. Read CPSC’s OnSafety blog, “Ladder Safety 101,” for tips to prevent ladder falls this season.

Trees and Decorations

1. Buying a live tree? Check for freshness. A fresh tree is green, its needles are hard to pull from branches, and the needles do not break when bent between your fingers. The bottom of a fresh tree is sticky with resin, and when tapped on the ground, the tree should not lose many needles.

2. Setting up a tree at home? Place it away from heat sources, such as fireplaces, vents, and radiators. Because heated rooms rapidly dry out live trees, be sure to monitor water levels daily, and keep the tree stand filled with water. Place the tree out of the way of foot traffic, and do not block doorways with the tree.

3. Buying an artificial tree? Look for the label: “Fire Resistant.” Although this label does not mean that the tree will not catch fire, the label does indicate that the tree is more resistant to catching fire.

4. Decorating a tree in a home with small children? Take special care to avoid sharp, weighted, or breakable decorations. Keep trimmings with small removable parts out of the reach of children, who could swallow or inhale small pieces. Avoid trimmings that resemble candy or food that may tempt a child to reach for and swallow them.

Candles

1. Keep burning candles within sight. Extinguish all candles before you go to bed, leave the room, or leave the house.

2. Keep candles on a stable, heat-resistant surface. Place candles where kids and pets cannot reach them or knock them over. Lighted candles should be placed away from items that can catch fire, such as trees, other evergreens, decorations, curtains and furniture.

Lights

1. Use lights that have been tested. Select lights tested for safety by a nationally recognized testing laboratory, such as Underwriters Laboratories (UL), Intertek (ETL) or the Canadian Standards Association (CSA). Lights for both indoor and outdoor use must meet strict requirements that testing laboratories are able to verify. On decorative lights available in stores, UL’s red holographic label signifies that the product meets safety requirements for indoor and outdoor use. UL’s green holographic label signifies that the product meets requirements for indoor use only.

2. Check each set of lights. Examine new and old lights for broken or cracked sockets, frayed or bare wires, or loose connections. Throw out damaged sets, and do not use electric lights on a metallic tree.

3. Check each extension cord. Make sure each extension cord is rated for the intended use and is in good condition. Do not use cords with cuts or signs of fraying.

4. Check outdoor lights for labels. Look for labels indicating that the lights have been certified for outdoor use, and only plug them into a ground-fault circuit interrupter (GFCI)-protected receptacle or a portable GFCI.

Fireplaces

1. Use care with “fire salts.” Fire salts produce colored flames when thrown onto wood fires. Fire salts contain heavy metals that can cause intense gastrointestinal irritation and vomiting, if swallowed. Keep fire salts away from children.

2. Do not burn wrapping papers in the fireplace. A flash fire may result from burning wrapping papers because wrappings can ignite suddenly and burn intensely.

How To Keep Your Driveway Clear When The Roads Are Plowed of Snow

December 5, 2013 triplestrength

Check out this graphic showing how you can plow the entrance to your driveway to prevent it from being blocked by snow plows. From the MODOT Website:

MoDOT’s top priority in a snowstorm is plowing state highways, which may require several trips down the same route.

Snow plowed from roads could end up blocking private driveways for some time. MoDOT recognizes the inconvenience this causes, but because of limited time and resources, plows can only clear private driveways at the request of local emergency officials.

To reduce the amount of snow that might block your driveway, shovel an open area along the shoulder at the entrance (see illustration below). Plow blades will then push snow into the area just before your driveway, leaving a much smaller amount in front of it.