How to Heat Your Home Safely as Colder Temperatures Set In

Red Cross responds to 7,500+ home fires since September 1

As colder weather moves into areas that experience a seasonal drop in temperatures, people are turning their heat back on, increasing their risk of home fires.

According to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), heating equipment is the second leading cause of home fires and space heaters are responsible for almost 30% of these fires.

Emergency personnel in the U.S. respond to fires about every 22 seconds or as many as 1.5 million every year. Here at the Red Cross, our DAT teams have responded to 7,578 home fires since September 1, assisting more than 30,000 people.The Red Cross urges families to take the following steps to heat their home safely.

HEATING SAFETY It's critical to keep at least three feet of space around all heating equipment, and never leave space heaters unattended. Follow these additional tips:

1. If you must use a space heater, place it on a level, hard and nonflammable surface, such as a ceramic tile floor. Don’t place it on rugs and carpets, or near bedding and drapes. And keep children and pets away from the heater.
2. Plug space heater power cords directly into outlets — never an extension cord. Turn it off every time you leave the room or go to sleep.
3. Never use a cooking range or oven to heat your home.
4. Never leave a fire burning in the fireplaces unattended. Make sure any embers in the fireplace are extinguished before going to bed or leaving home. Use a glass or metal fire screen to keep embers in the fireplace.
5. Have furnaces, chimneys, fireplaces, wood and coal stoves inspected annually by a professional and cleaned if necessary.

PREVENT HOME FIRE TRAGEDIES Every second counts when there’s a home fire. Stay safe by taking two simple steps. First, test your smoke alarms each month and then, practice your escape plan until everyone can get out in less than two minutes.

To create your home fire escape plan, include at least two ways to exit every room in your home. Select a meeting spot at a safe distance away from your home, such as your neighbor’s home or landmark like a specific tree in your front yard. Discuss the plan with everyone in your household and practice it twice a year. While practicing your escape plan, teach children what a smoke alarm sounds like.

Place smoke alarms on each level of your home, including inside and outside bedrooms and sleeping areas. In addition to testing your smoke alarms once a month, change the batteries at least once a year, if your model requires it. Check the manufacturer’s date of your smoke alarms. If they’re 10 years or older, they need to be replaced because the sensor becomes less sensitive over time. Follow the manufacturer’s instructions.

If you cannot afford to purchase smoke alarms or are physically unable to install one, contact your local Red Cross ─ they may be able to help.

Visit redcross.org/fire for more information, including an escape plan to practice with your family. Download the free Red Cross First Aid app so you’ll know what to do if emergency help is delayed and the free Emergency app for weather alerts, open Red Cross shelter locations and safety steps for different emergencies. Find these and all of the Red Cross apps in smartphone app stores by searching for the American Red Cross or going to redcross.org/apps.

HOME FIRE CAMPAIGN SAVE LIVES Since October 2014, the Red Cross Home Fire Campaign, working with community partners, has saved at least 2,508 lives by educating families about fire safety, helping them create escape plans and installing free smoke alarms in high-risk areas across the country. To learn more about the campaign and how you can get involved, visit redcross.org/homefires.