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"I bought a used generator to prepare for the war with Hezbollah. I put gasoline in it, turned it on, connected an extension cord and some electrical appliances to it, and went out to work in the garden. Suddenly I smell a strong smell of smoke, I went back in and saw that the connection between the generator and the electrical cord was on fire, luckily it wasn't reached the carpet. And even more fortunate that I was around."
The testimony of Eran Sharvi from Tel Aviv should turn on a red light for anyone who has recently equipped himself with a generator, both new and used.
In recent weeks, and as the media and public discourse on the Alta scenario and the war in the north gained momentum, there was a sharp jump in the demand for generators.
A simple search on Google trends shows an increase of hundreds of percent in the search volume of expressions on the subject and estimates are that during the last month tens of thousands of generators were sold in Israel.
The importers and marketers are satisfied, the consumers feel relatively safe, but the National Authority for Extinguishing and Rescue is very worried: "This is a tsunami of equipping everyone with home generators, without diagnosis or understanding that this is a dangerous device that could cause a disaster if used incorrectly," notes Deputy Inspector Tiran Shemer, Head of National Fire Protection and Licensing Department. "I am very afraid that in the current wave we will encounter in the field the devastating results of uncontrolled, negligent or substandard use of generators."
The MDA also expresses serious concern about unsafe use and wishes to warn the public.
Playing with fire/ShutterStock
The surest way to hospitalization in the burn department at the hospital
Gasoline is a highly volatile and flammable fuel.
There is no need to light a candle next to it, in order for you to arrive at the burn department at the hospital.
An electric spark or a cigarette smoked near it can also end in disaster.
Therefore, Tafser Mishna Shemer points out that consumers must be twice as careful: "You must be careful to refuel the generator, only when it is at rest when it is turned off, as the fuel vapors may ignite quickly when the generator body is hot. To prevent a fire, stop the engine and wait for the generator to cool down."
He also adds that it is absolutely forbidden to place a heat source near the generator and of course it is absolutely forbidden to store fuel inside the house.
"Carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning is fatal," explains Dr. Shapir Butner, director of the MDA Paramedic School, "the gas emitted as a result of using a generator is colorless or odorless, and its existence cannot be noticed until the signs of poisoning begin to appear, so it is important Take safety measures. Unfortunately, in recent years Magen David Adom teams have been called upon to provide medical treatment to people who inhaled the gas, without adequate ventilation, lost consciousness during sleep and died from carbon monoxide poisoning."
Dr. Butner and Tafser Mishna Shemer clarify in a way that is not ambiguous: "It is forbidden to operate a generator that is inside the house, it is a life hazard." According to the Fire and Rescue Authority, the generator must be placed in an open, stable and ventilated place, such as a balcony. For the avoidance of doubt , they point out that it must not be placed on an air conditioner motor "a generator produces vibration, which may damage the stability of the air conditioner's suspension device".
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Tiran Shemer - Head of Licensing and National Fire Protection/Fire Fighting and Rescue Department
Overloading and running the engine excessively
(high currents) endangers the user, explains Shemer, "You must follow the manufacturer's instructions and adjust the power of the generators and the load to the consumption of the connected electrical appliances."
And how will you know how to fit?
Consult an electrician.
Also, the risk of a fire outbreak increases significantly if damaged electrical cables are used.
Therefore, he emphasizes that electric tools should not be operated with damaged cables: "Use only standard electric cables/extension cables".
Beware of diggers:
make sure that the installation of the device, testing it and receiving training before use are only done by licensed electricians. Incorrect connection or loose contacts may cause damage to the generator or a fire. With the "do-it-yourself" method, we will witness unnecessary disasters such as electrocution, suffocation or a fire."
This may seem like an unnecessary action to you, but in the case of a generator - it is a must:
consult the consumer leaflet before use and obey the manufacturer's safety instructions.
The generator is It is a dangerous installation and one must be well acquainted with its central systems. In addition, avoid contact with the internal system of the generator and prevent a disaster: "The generator is like a small electrical station, any contact with the internal parts in the event of a malfunction can cause a disaster."
In addition to all this, firefighting also warns against An alternative to using a generator -
lighting candles
. "This is a significant fire generator in the home when used uncontrolled and without supervision." Therefore, candles should not be lit or placed near flammable materials such as curtains, tablecloths, bedding and mattresses, as well as the candles should be kept away from children and lit only by an adult and on a solid and stable surface.
In addition, for those who are not yet familiar - you must not leave lit candles unattended.
Inhaling gas will take you to the hospital.
Dr. Shafir Butner/Rec
The risks that you must be aware of do not end there.
A fire that broke out in an apartment due to the negligence of its owner or occupier could complicate any of them with a tort claim.
Adv. Assaf Varsha, co-chairman of the Shivov Claims Committee at the Bar Association, explains: "First, if this is a rented apartment and it turns out that the fire broke out as a result of negligent operation of a generator, which caused damage to it - the tenant may find himself, with a high degree of probability , is claimed by the owner of the property or by his insurer. The cost of restoring the damaged property, even in the case of a fire on a relatively small scale, can easily reach tens of thousands of shekels. In addition, if, God forbid, a fire caused damage to nearby apartments, the exposure to lawsuits and the payment of compensation of The owner or the owner of the apartment, increased dramatically. "Even soot that penetrates into neighboring apartments, can cause damages whose restoration costs are very high."
And what about the case in which the fire took hold and caused the fire in other properties? "Damage in the hundreds of thousands of shekels, this is a very realistic scenario."
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