Prevent Home Fires this Winter

As the days shorten and get cooler, we all spend more time inside our homes. According to the National Fire Protection Agency (NFPA), U.S. home heating fires peak during winter months. Now is a great time to take steps to prevent home fires and ensure your family survives a house fire. 

Here are some general recommendations:

• Test your smoke alarms and CO detectors. Smoke alarms reduce the risk of dying in a home fire by 60 percent.
• Plan your escape route. You may have as little as 2 minutes to escape a fire. Practice it in the dark with your family.
• Know how and when to use your fire extinguishers. Keep them close in areas of high risk, like your kitchen.
• Sleep with your doors closed. A closed door protects your life because it forms a barrier between you and deadly smoke and fire.  

For more information, check out our webpage on Home Fire Safety. 

Click the image to learn about the Red Cross Free Smoke Detector Program

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​Heating Safety Tips

• Make sure all heating equipment is in good working order. Heating systems and chimneys should be cleaned and inspected annually by a qualified professional. 
• Separate heating equipment from anything that can burn by at least 3 feet. This includes furnaces, fireplaces, wood stoves, and space heaters. 
• Always use the right kind of fuel, as specified by the manufacturer, for fuel-burning space heaters. 
• Make sure space heaters are in good working order and used in accordance with the manufacturer's instructions. 
• Turn portable heaters off when leaving the room or going to sleep. 

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Cooking Safety Tips

• Keep a close eye on what you’re cooking; never leave cooking food unattended. For foods with longer cook times, such as those that are simmering or baking, set a timer to help monitor them carefully.
• Clear the cooking area of combustible items, keeping anything that can burn - such as dish towels, oven mitts, food packaging, and paper towels - at least three feet away from cooking equipment.
• Turn pot handles toward the back of the stove.
• Keep a lid nearby when cooking. If a small grease fire starts, slide the lid over the pan and turn off the burner.
• Create a “kid and pet free zone” of at least three feet around the cooking area and anywhere else hot food or drink is prepared or carried.

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Electricity Safety Tips

• Only use one heat-producing appliance (such as a coffeemaker, toaster, space heater, etc.) plugged into a receptacle outlet at a time.
• Check electrical cords to make sure they are not running across doorways or under carpets.
• Extension cords are intended for temporary use. Have a qualified electrician add more receptacle outlets so you don’t have to use extension cords.
• Call a qualified electrician or your landlord if you have frequent problems with blowing fuses or tripping circuit breakers; a tingling feeling when you touch an electrical appliance; a discolored or warm wall outlet; a burning or rubbery smell coming from an appliance; flickering or dimming lights; or sparks from an outlet.

Sources
​NFPA offers a wealth of home heating safety tips, information, and resources to help better educate the public about ways to safely heat their homes. In addition, NFPA’s “Put a Freeze on Winter Fires campaign with the U.S. Fire Administration works to promote a host of winter safety issues, including home heating.