Do's And Don'ts For Generator Use During Power Outage: Hurricane Ian

FLORIDA — With power likely to go out as Hurricane Ian hits Tampa Bay and the Nature Coast, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis noted that many residents will depend on portable generators for power and cautioned homeowners to take care.

"Generators are great. Obviously, we live in a very connected world and people want to have that power, but make sure it's used properly and do not let that exhaust come inside your home," DeSantis said.

Carbon monoxide poisoning, electrocution, and fire are all potentially fatal risks of misusing portable generators, according to Accuweather.com. In fact, portable generators produce as much carbon monoxide as hundreds of cars and can kill a person within minutes, according to the Consumer Product Safety Commission.

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Carbon monoxide poisoning sends more than 20,000 people to the emergency room each year, according to Accuweather's report.

"Every year, we tend to have people that operate them inside their homes and get carbon monoxide poisoning," DeSantis continued. "In the last four years, we've had more fatalities from carbon monoxide poisoning from the use of generators than we've had from the impact of the storm."

DeSantis warned residents to never place a generator inside the home, inside a garage or next to an open window.

"Sometimes people will put it right outside their window and have the window open with the power cords running inside, and the exhaust comes into the home," he said.

Here are some tips on using a generator:

Don't:

• Place a running generator inside your home or garage. Keep it at least 15 feet from any enclosed structure. Thirty feet is better. The odorless carbon monoxide exhaust fumes are deadly.
• Store fuel in your home or in your garage near potentially combustible appliances such as a furnace or water heater.
• Connect a generator directly to your home's electrical box. It can create a fire hazard, and might energize area power lines that utility workers assume are not "live."
• Operate a generator in rain or damp conditions. If the electrical panel gets wet, it could cause electrical shock or damage the machine.
• Refuel a generator while it's running. Fuel spilled on a hot motor can spark an explosion or fire.

Do:

• Start and briefly run your machine a few times during the year to ensure it is ready when you need it.
• Make sure you have plenty of fresh fuel to power your generator. If the machine runs on gasoline, figure on up to 21 gallons a day if you want to operate it around the clock.
• Check the oil.
• Make sure the combined wattage of devices you plan to power does not exceed the generator's capacity.
• Use heavy-duty, properly grounded extension cords.
• Hire a qualified technician to install a transfer switch if you want to connect an emergency generator to your home's main electrical system.

It's also important to recognize the symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning. Symptoms include dizziness, blurred vision, loss of consciousness, shortness of breath, and nausea and vomiting, according to the Mayo Clinic.

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