With the National Weather Service predicting below-average temperatures across the Southeast this winter, the Johns Creek Fire Department encourages everyone to follow these important safety tips in staying warm and safe:
Keep all things that can burn, such as paper, bedding or furniture, at least three (3) feet away from any heating source. Remember that portable space heaters need space.
Only use heating equipment that has the label of a recognized testing laboratory (UL).
Be sure to have fixed space heaters installed by a qualified technician, according to manufacturer's instructions or applicable codes. Or make sure a qualified technician checks to see that the unit has been properly installed.
Turn portable heaters off when you go to bed or leave the room.
Plug power cords only into outlets with sufficient capacity and never into an extension cord.
Inspect all electrical devices for cracked/ broken plugs/loose connections. Replace before using.
Install smoke alarms in every bedroom, outside each sleeping area and on every level of the home. Interconnect all smoke alarms throughout the home so that when one sounds, they all sound. Test smoke alarms at least once a month.
Install and maintain a carbon monoxide alarm in a central location outside each sleeping area.
Never use an oven to heat your home.
Have your chimney inspected each year and cleaned if necessary.
Never use flammable liquids, such as lighter fluid, kerosene or gasoline, to start a fire. Use only newspaper and kindling wood.
Make sure your fireplace has a sturdy screen to prevent sparks from flying into the room.
Allow ashes to cool before disposing. Dispose of ashes in a metal container.
Do not use or store gasoline near possible ignition sources (i.e., electrical devices, oil- or gas-fired appliances, or any other device that contains a pilot flame or a spark).
Supervise children when open fires and space heaters are used. Install a non-combustible screen around the appliance to prevent burns which are even more common than fire injuries.
Use chimineas, outdoor fireplaces and fire pits outdoors ONLY and at least 10 feet away from the home or anything that can burn.
"While these numbers are frightening, nearly all of these fires are preventable," said Johns Creek Fire Marshal Chad McGiboney. "We can reduce the number of home heating fires in our community by taking some simple precautions and using heating equipment properly."