Floridians warned to use generators safely

CLERMONT, Fla. (FOX 35 ORLANDO) - First responders all across Central Florida are warning the public to be careful when using generators during Hurricane Dorian.

According to a local fire marshal in Brevard County, an apartment caught fire in Palm Bay on Friday morning. He said a generator is to blame. First responders aren't the only ones giving out this warning.

"Be very careful," Lowe's employee Mark Beland said. "Be safe with and keep it outside. Please keep it outside."

Workers at Lowe's in Clermont said that they sold around 200 generators in a matter of hours Friday morning. They said if you do plan to use a generator in this storm, you should know how to use it properly, so you can keep you and your family safe.

FOX 35 had workers at Lowes show us how to properly use a generator and give us safety tips.
The first of which was to beware of carbon monoxide poisoning by keeping the generator outside of your home.

"People start having terrible headaches, nausea, and they could actually die from having an overdose of the carbon monoxide," Beland said.

The next tip is to make sure you're using the proper electrical cords and outlets for your generator.

"You could actually start a fire because (the cord) is small to handle the load of amount of amps that's going through it," Beland said.

The workers also said you should always make sure your generator is properly maintained with the right amount of oil and gas.