As the temperature outside drops, Columbus and Lowndes County families take to the indoors to keep safe and warm. Cold winter weather increases indoor activities and the need for heating. What they may not realize is that turning up the heat can increase the risk of home heating fires.
Home fires account for 83 percent of all civilian fire deaths. Heating equipment is a leading cause of home fires during the months of December, January and February, and trails only cooking equipment in home fires year-round.
On average, National Fire Protection Association research shows that heating equipment is involved in roughly 70,000 reported U.S. home structure fires, with associated loss of more than 600 civilian deaths, almost 1,600 civilian injuries and more than $1 billion in direct property damage.
“While these numbers are frightening, nearly all of these fires are preventable,” said Carole Summerall, Columbus Fire and Rescue fire and life safety educator. “We can reduce the number of home heating fires in our community be taking some simple precautions and using heating equipment properly.”
The National Fire Protection Association and Columbus Fire and Rescue recommend some simple home heating safety tips, so residents can help keep our community safe and warm this winter:
· Space heaters need space; keep all things that can burn, such as paper, bedding or furniture, at least three feet away from heating equipment.
· Turn portable heaters off when you go to bed or leave the room. Plug power cords only into outlets with sufficient capacity, and never into an extension cord. Inspect for cracked or broken plugs or loose connections.
· Install smoke alarms and test them at least once a month; they can be purchased for less than $5 at many stores.
· Always provide adequate ventilation for kerosene heaters. Burning kerosene consumes oxygen, and produces carbon monoxide and other dangerous gases which may cause you to suffocate.
· Never leave burning candles unattended and do not use an oven to heat your home.
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