While the weather has been unseasonably nice recently, it’s still fall, and preparations for winter weather should still take place.

Adair and Guthrie County Emergency Management Coordinator Bob Kempf says that one thing that people may check, is a generator if they have it. He tells Raccoon Valley Radio some important things to start with.

“Making sure that it’s properly wired to power your home and capable of powering your home. Or is it one that simply needs to be set up to power just your furnace? Making sure that you work with a qualified electrician to make sure that you’re all set up and ready to go with that.”

Kempf shares that another, more important thing to do, is to make sure that your generator can run in a place with good ventilation. He explains that running them in basements or garages is not a good idea, as carbon monoxide and other exhaust fumes can build up, and then spread throughout a home and cause major health issues, including death.

Kempf adds that for smaller generators, a good way to go about using them, is to not run them constantly so that your fuel supply lasts longer. He says a good way to do this is to take turns running your furnace, refrigerator or freezer for ten minutes each hour, that way food stays fresh, and you stay warm.