NORTON SHORES, Mich. — Generators can make a world of difference. For one man, one generator saved a world he's spent years creating.
"We are at 70 degrees. So any lower than that, and stuff will start to die; temperature will kill anything more than anything else," Jonathan Hough said.
Hough isn't talking about the temperature in his house.
"I've got 135-gallon saltwater coral setup, and I'm trying to keep my fish alive," Hough added.
This tank is full of several species.
"I need to plug it in. They need heat. They need oxygen, so the water needs to move. And they need lights because I have corals, and that's ... corals need light," Hough explained.
A generator is a lifeline for many when the power goes out.
"We keep them at a minimum of 20 feet from our houses, and we do not run them indoor at all," Norton Shores Fire Department Lt. Steve Andrews said.
They can be a problem if you're not careful.
"The first [crew] arrived a few minutes after discovered a heavy black smoke coming from the structure initially, looking like an attic fire," Grand Rapids Fire Marshall Bill Smith said.
According to Smith, initial signs point to a generator that started a house fire near 28th and Kalamazoo.
"We're looking at right now if it was a generator that is very close to the home that was under a porch roof. It was an open-sided roof structure," Smith added.
A fire isn't the only possible problem.
"Carbon monoxide, which is an odorless, harmful gas that, if exposed to for enough time, can become deadly," Andrews said.
Early signs of CO poisoning include being dizzy and lightheaded.
Andrews adds homeowners should read their generator's manual before using it.
READ MORE: Faulty generator blamed for SE Grand Rapids fire
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