LEE COUNTY, Fla. -- Many people started preparing by gathering supplies and storing up on gasoline ahead of Hurricane Dorian. Now with Dorian not being a threat to our immediate area, what do you do if you filled up your gas cans?
The first step is making sure you have the right gas canister.
“A way we can find out if it’s an improved container is the marking on the side of the gas can, that’s indicated by a UL or FM, and you can find that right here,” said Alexis Rothring, Public Information Officer, San Carlos Park Fire District.
When you are filling up make sure it’s only 95% full to allow for the expansion of gas in the container. “it releases a lot of vapors, it expands and contracts especially in Florida where it’s very hot and humid,” said Rothring.
When it comes to storing the gas cans, “outside in a well ventilated area, detached from your home, so we are thinking like shed.”
If you have 25 gallons or more it’s advised to store it in flammable liquid storage cabinet.
Rothring says to keep away from gas or oil fired appliances anything with a pilot light, “if we have those types of appliances or tools that cause sparks or anything like that we want to put those as far away as possible.”
Rothring says putting a fuel stabilizer in the gasoline extends the shelf life for a couple months and can be found at home improvement stores.
If you have old gasoline to get rid of, Lee County has a disposal site in Fort Myers. It's open Monday through Friday from 8am to 5 pm.
