Other Resources ¦ Ice Storm and Safety Info

FUEL STORAGE

• During an emergency, a generator can be run intermittently for five to eight hours per 24-hr day to supply essential electricity needs in a home. A small generator (500 Watts) may use up one-third to one-half a gallon per hour while a large generator (2250 Watts) may use up one gallon per hour. Operating an emergency generator continuously for eight hours would require approximately four to eight gallons of fuel.

• Gasoline service stations cannot supply you with fuel during a power outage because the gasoline pumps will not work without electricity.

• Follow local municipal regulations regarding storage of flammable liquids.

• When storing flammable fuels, use only approved gasoline storage cans. Use small one to five gallon containers to minimize the fire hazard. Do not use containers that are larger than you can handle easily.

• Fossil fuels (gasoline, oil, diesel fuel, naphtha, white gas, kerosene, etc.) deteriorate when stored for prolonged periods of time. Old fuel gums up transfer lines, carburetors, etc. and causes them to malfunction. Add a stabilizer (eg. STA-BIL) to fuel for prolonged storage.

• Store fuel away from the house - use a garden shed or unattached garage. Do not keep fuel in the house or in a garage attached to the house!!

• Regularly rotate your stock of fuel. Don't keep any fuel for longer than six months.

• Mix gasoline and oil only as required if a mix is needed to run certain motors or engines. Use a special fuel storage can for this purpose.

• Do not store fuel in an engine gas tank even if it has a fuel shut off valve. Do add a small amount of fuel to the gas tank approximately every six months and operate the engine under a load until it runs out of fuel.

• Change the engine oil once a year or more often if the engine is used frequently.

CC Austin, PhD

© 1998 SAREC - All rights reserved (Updated 98/01/21) http://www.sarec.ca/ice
Contact CC Austin, PhD, to obtain special permission to freely reproduce and distribute this safety bulletin during the current ice storm disaster.
This copyright notice must be included with all reproductions of this safety bulletin. Telephone: (514) 989-3720 Email: caustin@sarec.ca