Local fire crews warn of heating hazards in cold weather

EVANS, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) - With temperatures getting low, it’s important to be aware of fire hazards when trying to keep warm.

We talked to Columbia County Fire Rescue about what you need to watch out for.

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According to the U.S. Fire istration, heating is one of the leading causes of residential fires in the nation.

Lt. Evan Davis at the Columbia County Fire Rescue says around this time of year, the fire rescue gets multiple calls about fires started from supplemental heating sources.

He says one of the most common is chimney fires.

“Chimney fires occur, and houses that are using natural wood for wood burning fireplaces, and those chimney fires usually are caused because chimneys are not inspected, or they haven’t been used in a number of years,” said Davis.

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If you use space heaters, you may want to make sure yours has a specific safety feature. If not, you could be in trouble.

“Newer units have safety switches where if they roll over, knocked over by a pet or a child, they’ll automatically shut off. If they don’t have their safety features, and they’re a little bit older, they could cause electrical fires,” he said.

Davis also says if you’re using those space heaters, keep them away from pets and children and especially furniture.

Tips from experts

The Electrical Safety Foundation International reports that more than 65,000 home fires are attributed to heating equipment each year. These fires result in hundreds of deaths, thousands of injuries and millions of dollars in property damage.

The nonprofit, which promotes electrical safety at home and in the workplace, says safety should always be a top consideration when using space heaters.

Experts suggest the following:

• Inspect heaters for cracked or broken plugs or loose connections before each use. If anything is frayed, worn or damaged, do not use the heater.
• Never leave a space heater unattended.
• Space heaters are only meant to provide supplemental heat and should never be used to warm bedding or dry clothing.
• Give your space heater space. Heaters must be kept at least three feet away from anything that can burn
• Install smoke alarms on every floor of your home and test them once a month.

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