Tips for Prepping for Cold Weather

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Thursday night’s freezing temperatures will no doubt have people cranking up the heat. But there are some things to keep in mind for you and your family’s safety.

Captain Jason Cupps with the Montgomery Fire Department says each year, there are a couple of fires that involve space heaters.

“Always leave a three foot radius clear around your space heater. Never get it to close to your bedding or your drapes and if you leave the room or when you go to bed at night make sure that you shut it off,” says Cupps.

Cupps says heat can build up quickly and eventually ignite.

“Everyone is trying to save a few dollars and go and buy the cheapest extension cord they can get but those extension cords ready to handle the power that a space heater can produce,” says Cupps.

Phillip Barnett at Montgomery’s Home Depot on Eastern Boulevard says to always opt for heaters with automatic timers and to always keep a close eye on cords.

“Especially if you have pets in the house because I know cats like to chew on cords so that’s where if you go and plug it in and it has a damage cord there’s where it can be unsafe. So you always want to check your cord and make sure it’s on a level ground and again never put anything around the heater that can catch on fire,” says Barnett.

Besides space and gas heaters, fireplaces should not go unnoticed.

“We suggest that you get the chimney cleaned once a year. Debris can build up in there, especially wood burning fireplaces – debris and soot can build up inside the chimney and eventually cause a hazard if if it’s not cleaned regularly,” says Barnett.

Fire officials, say  following these simple steps to warm up, could possibly save your home from going up in flames…

“It may not feel that hot right away and you think that you’re ok but if you leave it on there for a long period of time that’s when it starts to get dangerous,” says Cupps.

Captain Jason Cupps says your best chances for surviving a house fire is having a working smoke detector. He says now is the perfect time to check yours. Detectors should be replaced every 10 years.