Home heating is one of the leading causes of home fires and home fire injuries in this country, and the third leading cause of home fire deaths, according to the National Fire Protection Association.
Most of these fires occur in December, January and February. Space heaters account for one-third of the fires, as well as the vast majority of deaths and injuries caused by heating equipment.
Since the start of the year 2024, the American Red Cross has responded to 1797 home fires across the country, providing help to 6799 people.
According to the National Weather Service, portions of north central and northwest Georgia are under a Winter Weather Advisory. Dangerously cold conditions are expected Tuesday night through Wednesday morning in the north and central areas of the state. It’s important to stay warm and necessary to be safe.
Steps to help heat your home safely
- Have furnaces, chimneys, fireplaces, wood and coal stoves inspected and cleaned annually.
- If using a space heater, look for a model that shuts off automatically if the heater falls over. Place the heater on a level, hard and nonflammable surface in the home.
- Keep all potential sources of fuel like paper, clothing, bedding, curtains or rugs at least three feet away from space heaters, stoves or fireplaces.
- Portable heaters and fireplaces should never be left unattended. Turn off space heaters and make sure any embers in the fireplace are extinguished before going to bed or leaving home.
- Keep children and pets away from space heaters.
- Never use a cooking range or oven to heat your home.
- Keep fire in your fireplace by using a glass or metal fire screen large enough to catch sparks and rolling logs.
- Test batteries in smoke and carbon monoxide detectors.
- Working smoke alarms can cut the risk of dying in a home fire by half. Place smoke alarms on each level of your home, and inside and outside bedrooms and sleeping areas. Change the batteries at least once a year, if your model requires it. Also, 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.
- 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, where everyone knows to meet. Teach children what a smoke alarm sounds like. Talk about fire safety and what to do in an emergency.
Red Cross Home Fire Campaign
In 2014, the Red Cross launched its Home Fire Campaign to help educate people about home fire safety and install free smoke alarms in neighborhoods at high risk for fires. Since then, the effort has helped save 2,022 lives and installed 2.6 million free smoke alarms, helping to make more than 1.1 million homes safer across the country. You can learn more here.
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.
