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Space Heaters
- Be cautious with portable space heaters. During the months of December, January and February, heating equipment is the leading cause of home fires, according to the National Fire Prevention Association. About two-thirds of home heating fire deaths are caused by portable or fixed space heaters.
- Place space heaters at least three feet away from anything combustible, including wallpaper, bedding, clothing, pets, and people.
- Never leave space heaters operating when you are not in the room or when you go to bed. Don't leave children or pets unattended near space heaters.
- Be sure everyone knows that space heaters should never used to dry wet mittens or other clothing.
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Ovens
- Never use a kitchen stove or outdoor cooking grill for supplemental heat. Burning gas in a closed house or apartment uses up oxygen and produces deadly carbon monoxide gases.
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Candles
- Keep candles away from combustible materials.
- Never leave children unattended in a room with lit candles, and be sure to keep candles, matches and lighters out of the reach of children.
- Never display lighted candles in windows or near exits.
- Do not use candles for lighting if electric service is interrupted. Use flashlights only.
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Fireplaces and Wood Stoves
- Inspect fireplaces and wood stoves. Use a sturdy screen when burning fires.
- Burn only wood—never paper or pine boughs.
- Have your chimney connections and flues inspected by a professional and cleaned if necessary prior to the start of every heating season.
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Generators
- Use generators carefully. Never operate a portable generator inside your home, including the basement or garage.
- Do not hook up a generator directly to your home's wiring. The safest thing to do is to connect the equipment you want to power directly to the outlets on the generator.
- Never connect a cord from a generator to a point on the permanent wiring system. Doing so and back feeding power to your home is extremely dangerous.
- Don't overload electrical outlets. Be careful of extension cords that present hazardous walkways.
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Additional Tips
- Keep fire extinguishers handy throughout your home. Get training from the fire department on how to use them. Consider installing other equipment, such as an automatic fire sprinkler system, in your home.
- Have your furnace checked to ensure its proper operation.
- If you lose heat in your house or apartment, take measures to trap existing warm air, and safely stay warm until heat returns:
- Insulate your home as much as possible. Hang blankets over windows and doorways and stay in a well-insulated room while power is out.
- Dress warmly indoors. Wear hats, scarves, gloves and layered clothing.
- If you have a working fireplace, use it for heat and light, but be sure to keep the damper open for ventilation.
- If the cold persists and your heat is not restored, call family, neighbors or friends to see if you can stay with them.
- Open your faucets to a steady drip so pipes do not freeze.
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