Heating is the second leading cause of home fires.

Here are some key things to do to keep you and your family safe as you keep warm.  Store cooled ashes in a tightly covered metal container, and keep it outside at least 10 feet from your home and any nearby buildings.  Keep anything that can burn at least 3 feet from any heat source like fireplaces, wood stoves, radiators or space heaters.  Plug only one heat-producing appliance (such as a space heater) into an electrical outlet at a time. Never use an oven to heat your home.  Turn space heaters off when leaving the room or going to bed.

Have you done the following this winter?

– Have a qualified professional clean and inspect your chimney and vents this year.

-Do you have a carbon monoxide alarm and have you tested it? Alarms need to be least tested once a month.