Hamilton firefighters handle rush of carbon monoxide calls

Hamilton firefighters are busy grappling with carbon monoxide-related calls as some areas of the city enter their third day without power.

The fire department has answered about 50 carbon monoxide calls since Sunday, said spokesperson Claudio Mostacci. Many of them are related to generators and people trying to heat their homes with gas stoves.

Heat is an issue Tuesday as some 7,000 homes in urban and rural Hamilton are without power in frigid temperatures of -7 C. Hamilton Public Health has issued a cold weather alert.

Many homes won’t have power until midnight tonight, and Hydro One’s website shows that some northernmost areas of Flamborough won’t have it until Boxing Day.

People are trying various methods to heat their homes, including bringing in heaters meant for outdoor areas, Mostacci said. They shouldn’t do that.

“Cracking the window slightly won’t provide you with enough fresh air,” he said.

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Two people have died in Toronto from carbon monoxide poisoning, and several have reportedly fired up barbecues in their homes.

No one in Hamilton has been hospitalized for carbon monoxide poisoning, Mostacci said. But firefighters are concerned.

If people are cold, he said, the best option is to use one of the city’s warming centres.

Here are some of his tips for staying safe:

• Only use heaters meant for indoor usage, and follow the instructions. Do not use heaters that aren’t meant for dwellings.
• Do not use barbecues or outdoor cooking tools indoors.
• If you’re using candles, make sure they are in proper containers and don’t leave them unattended. Keep them away from combustible material, as well as away from pets and children.
• If you leave home to stay somewhere else, unplug your appliances. With a stove, for example, “you may have forgotten an element was on,” he said. “While you’re away, the power could come back on, and anything on top of that element is going to ignite.”

Here are some other tips from the Office of the Ontario Fire Marshal:

• Have battery-operated smoke and carbon monoxide alarms.
• Use flashlights and battery-operated lanterns when possible.
• Buy generators with recognized approved labels. Make sure the unit has proper connection receptacles and circuit breakers.
• Portable generators should only be used outdoors and carefully located so exhaust fumes do not enter the home.

What food to throw away

If the temperature in your fridge was above 4 C for two hours or longer, here's what you should toss, says Hamilton Public Health.

• cold cuts that aren't sealed or vacuum-packed
• soft cheeses
• hot dogs
• raw ground meat (chicken, pork or beef)
• fish and seafood (unless its smoked, cured or pickled)
• eggs
• milk, cream and yogurt
• opened baby formula
• garlic in oil or butter
• cooked dishes like pasta, stews, soups, casseroles and baked potatoes

If your fridge has been without power for more than four hours, also toss:

• hard cheeses
• raw, solid pieces of meat like steaks or roasts

What to do with your broken tree branches

The city is asking people with broken branches on their properties to haul them to the curb, where the city will collect them on their usual garbage day. There will be no garbage collection on Christmas Day or New Year’s Day.

Pick-up will occur on the day after your regularly scheduled pick-up for residents with Wednesday, Thursday or Friday collection days.

It may take a while for the city to collect the branches. It could be one or two weeks after your next scheduled collection day, but the city will know more tomorrow.