As Louisiana prepares for some cold Christmas weather, the Louisiana Office of State Fire Marshal urges everyone to remember home heating safety.
According to the National Fire Protection Association, heating equipment is one of the largest factors in home fire deaths. They said there should be a three-foot “kid-free zone” around all fires and heaters.
For ideal heating safety, the fire marshal’s office recommends the following tips:
- Place space heaters three to five ft. from combustible objects like blankets
- Plug all heating appliances directly into wall outlets, not power strips or extension cords
- Do not use stoves or ovens to heat homes
- Do not overfill fireplaces/wood-burning stoves
- Do not leave candles, open flames or space heaters unattended
- Have working smoke alarms in your home
The NFPA also said nearly half of all home heating fires occurred in December, January and February.
Having heaters too close to items like bedding and blankets causes about half of heating fires, and not properly cleaning heating items and chimneys is the leading cause of home heating fires.
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