Safety! Safety! Safety! Please share this information with family members, friends, and neighbors
Fire Hydrants
In an emergency, every second matters. Hydrants covered in snow can be difficult to locate and uncovering them can waste valuable time needed during a fire fight. Please help by keeping nearby fire hydrants accessible and clear of ice and snow.
Smoke/Carbon Monoxide Detectors
It is so important to check your smoke detectors and carbon monoxide detectors — they do work if they are properly maintained.
Space Heater Safety
- The Brookhaven Fire Marshal reminds all residents to use space heaters safely – think smart! Winter months can be devastating, especially when space heaters are used improperly in the home.
- Always keep space heaters at least 3 feet away from combustibles.
- Never plug space heaters into power strips or extension cords — plug them directly into a wall outlet only. Power strips are not designed to handle the high current flow required by a space heater and can overheat causing a fire.
PROPER DISPOSAL IS KEY
Gas Cylinders
Gas cylinders can explode inside trash collection trucks, causing serious injury and damage. DO NOT dispose of pressurized gas cylinders in the trash or recycling.
These include:
- ANY compressed gas fuel tanks or canisters (propane, butane, acetylene, MAPP gas)
- Oxygen tanks
- Helium (balloon) tanks
- Carbon dioxide (CO₂) cylinders
- Fire extinguishers
Propane and Other Fuel Gases
Propane and other fuel gases are highly flammable and should be handled with extreme caution.
To properly dispose of most gas cylinders, you can:
- Exchange them when purchasing a new one
- Return them to the store or dealer where they were purchased
- Take them to a scrap metal dealer
- Bring them to a SAFE Disposal Event
Fire Extinguishers and Smoke/Carbon Monoxide Detectors
- Do not place fire extinguishers in the trash or recycling. Contact a certified fire extinguisher retailer or bring them to a SAFE Disposal Event.
- The same applies to smoke and carbon monoxide detectors — bring them to a SAFE Disposal Event
Light Bulbs
- Dispose of light bulbs (incandescent, LED, compact fluorescent [CFL]) in the trash.
- Double-bag bulbs to prevent injury during handling.
Compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs) contain small amounts of mercury. While they may be placed in the trash, they can also be taken to a Special Waste Drop-Off Site or a SAFE Disposal Event. Some retailers, including many large hardware store chains, accept CFLs for recycling.
Ink and Toner Cartridges
- Ink and toner cartridges may be placed in the trash but do not place them in curbside recycling.
- These cartridges contain plastics, metals, and chemicals that can be problematic to recycle.
Many companies offer take-back or mail-back programs for empty ink and toner cartridges from printers and copiers. Check with manufacturers and local office supply stores for recycling programs.
Mercury and Mercury-Containing Devices
Residential Mercury Disposal
It is ILLEGAL to discard liquid mercury or mercury-containing devices in the trash or recycling. Do not dispose of liquid mercury down a drain or toilet.
Bring these items to a SAFE Disposal Event or contact an appropriate private hazardous/chemical waste company.
- It is ILLEGAL to discard liquid mercury or devices containing mercury in the trash or recycling.
- Do not discard liquid mercury down a drain or toilet.
- New thermometers and household medical equipment sold in Pennsylvania do not contain mercury.
A mercury thermometer can be identified by a silver-colored bulb. If the bulb is red, blue, purple, green, or any other color, it is not a mercury thermometer. (One exception is newer fever thermometers containing gallium, indium, and tin, which may also have a silver bulb but are clearly marked “mercury-free.”)
Older devices that may contain mercury include:
- Thermostats
- Oral and basal thermometers
- Oven, candy, and meat thermometers
- Indoor/outdoor thermometers
- Laboratory thermometers
- Temperature-measuring devices used in industrial applications
- Blood pressure cuffs