The National Fire Protection Association states that heating equipment, like space heaters, are the No. 1 cause of home fires during December, January and February and the second-leading cause of home fires year-round. Most accidents involving space heaters are the result of human error – heaters are placed too close to combustible material like drapes and furniture, or they have not been properly maintained.

Don’t end up a statistic. Follow these tips and share them with your friends and family:

• Give space heaters their space. Space heaters pose a higher risk of fire and death than central heating systems. Keep the space heater at least three feet away from anything that can burn, including walls.
• Unplug the heater every time you leave the room and when you go to bed.
• Plug electric-powered space heaters into an outlet with sufficient capacity and never into an extension cord.
• Make sure the plug fits snugly in the outlet, since a loose plug can overheat. If you’re using the space heater in the bathroom, be sure to use a ground-fault circuit interrupter. Remember, electricity and water do not mix.
• Don’t hide the cord under a rug or carpet. This can cause the cord to overheat and start a fire.
• Keep it stable. Don’t put your space heater on plush carpet or other surfaces where the space heater may tip over easily.
• Check the tag. Make sure an independent testing laboratory (Underwriters Laboratories) has approved your new space heater.

To conserve energy, try to keep your thermostat at 68 degrees or lower. Space heaters should be on timers when you’re at home. Use programmable thermostats to lower temperatures automatically when you’re not at home, leave drapes or curtains open to take advantage of solar heat, and throw an extra blanket on the bed rather than turn up the heat. As a rule of thumb, heating and cooling are responsible for 40 percent of energy use in the home. Stay safe and warm, but conserve where you can.

For more information about NFPA, please visit their website at www.NFPA.org.

LiveSafe Foundation is a non-profit organization (501c3), and leading grassroots movement, devoted to making fire safety education, awareness initiatives and life saving tools available on a broad basis to communities, campuses, and institutions in an effort to reduce national fire fatalities and fire losses. LiveSafe aims to help finance fire safety education where means are otherwise unavailable.  LiveSafe is developing and sponsoring programs to help groups find the resources needed to advance individual and community fire safety.

The three leading causes of home deaths for older adults are smoking accidents, faulty or misused heating equipment, and cooking accidents. How can you reduce your risk of falling victim to one of these causes?

• Never smoke in bed or when drowsy from medication. Use deep ashtrays and keep them off furniture arms and other unstable surfaces. Douse cigarette butts with water before throwing them away or dispose of them in a metal container.
• Keep space heaters at least three feet from anything that burns and out of entrances and doorways.
• In the kitchen, shield yourself from steam when uncovering food to prevent scalding.
• Wear clothing with close-fitting sleeves or secure your sleeves so they are not likely to come in contact with burners. If your clothing does catch fire, smother the fire with a heavy coat or blanket or by rolling on the ground if you are able.
• Use a timer or handy kitchen item like a potholder to remind you to check on cooking in progress.  If you are interrupted while cooking, turn off the burners.
• Don’t let grease collect in your broiler, stove, oven, or exhaust fan duct. Have on hand a multipurpose fire extinguisher (Type ABC) and know how to use it.
• Most importantly, have a working smoke alarm on every level of your home and outside each sleeping area. They have been shown to reduce your risk of fire death by half.  Early detection is important if you need to escape from a burning structure.

Have your glasses, a telephone, and walking aids close to your bed so you can respond quickly.

Guest “Line of Duty” Author: Fire Marshal Alan Perkins, CFPS, Washington Township Fire Department, Dublin, Ohio. For more information, contact: Leslie Dybiec, Public Information Officer Phone: (614) 652-3928 Fax: (614) 766-2507 or ldybiec@wtwp.com.

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Live Safe Foundation is an Ohio based non-profit organization (501c3), and leading grassroots movement, devoted to making fire safety education, awareness initiatives and life saving tools available on a broad basis to communities, campuses, and institutions in an effort to reduce national fire fatalities and fire losses. Live Safe aims to help finance fire safety education where means are otherwise unavailable.  Live Safe is developing and sponsoring programs to help groups find the resources needed to advance individual and community fire safety.