As cooler weather arrives in the Delaware Valley, the American Red Cross Southeastern Pennsylvania Region urges families to take several steps to heat their homes safely.

“Heating equipment is a leading cause of home fires in this country, especially during winter months. But there are steps people can take to avoid having this happen to them,” said Jennifer Graham, Red Cross Regional CEO. “Help keep your family safe by providing at least three feet of space around all heating equipment, testing your smoke alarms monthly and practicing your two-minute home fire escape plan.” 

Overall, home fires account for most of the 60,000-plus disasters that the Red Cross responds to each year — and home fire responses are 30% higher during cold months than warmer times of year. In Southeastern Pennsylvania, Red Cross volunteers have already responded to 31 home fires and helped 148 people so far in November alone. 

How to Safely Heat Your Home

According to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), space heaters are most often responsible for home heating fires. Follow these tips on how to safely heat your home:

• If you must use a space heater, never leave it unattended. 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.
• Plug space heater power cords directly into outlets — never into an extension cord. Turn the space heater off every time you leave the room or go to sleep.
• Keep children, pets and anything that can burn at least three feet away from heating equipment.
• Never use a cooking range or oven to heat your home.
• Never leave a fire burning in the fireplace 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.
• Have furnaces, chimneys, fireplaces, wood and coal stoves inspected annually by a professional and cleaned if necessary.

Prevent Home Fire Tragedies

To help protect your family year-round, test your smoke alarms monthly and practice your home fire escape plan until everyone can escape in less than two minutes — the amount of time you may have to get out of a burning home before it’s too late.

If You Need Help

If you cannot afford to purchase smoke alarms or are physically unable to install one, the Red Cross may be able to help. Visit soundthealarm.org/philly or call 215-299-4029 to schedule an appointment. In the city of Philadelphia, you can also call 3-1-1.

About the American Red Cross:

The American Red Cross shelters, feeds and provides comfort to victims of disasters; supplies about 40% of the nation's blood; teaches skills that save lives; distributes international humanitarian aid; and supports veterans, military members and their families. The Red Cross is a nonprofit organization that depends on volunteers and the generosity of the American public to deliver its mission. For more information, please visit redcross.org or CruzRojaAmericana.org, or follow us on social media.