RENO, Nevada (KOLO) – As temperatures cool in northern Nevada, more people will be warming their homes. The Reno Fire Department (RFD) wants to make sure you are ready to prevent any potential fire in your home.
According to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), one in seven reported home fires involves a heater. One in five of them leads to death.
“Unfortunately it is very common. We get a lot of house fires. We get a lot of activated carbon monoxide calls, ”said Willie Seirer, fire safety captain at RFD.
Inspecting your heating equipment before using it can mean the difference between life and death.
Seirer added, “If you haven’t looked at it in a couple of years, it’s a good idea to have a professional come out and clean it and make sure everything is tuned and ready to use.”
According to Seirer, if you use space heating, you should keep anything that could burn at least three feet away and make sure the device is plugged directly into an electrical outlet, not a power strip or extension cord.
“Take the device and tilt it about 45 degrees. You should feel like it’s turned off. You will usually hear an audible click. If not, it should be replaced with a modern device with a toggle switch. Said Seirer.
Fireplaces are another area that needs maintenance to safely warm your home.
Seirer added, “Have a qualified technician, a chimney sweep, clean your chimney before burning a fire in it. Don’t burn rubbish or dirt there, just clean firewood. “
If any of these devices are not operated properly, carbon monoxide poisoning can result. According to Seirer, a simple solution is to install your own CO detector.
“If we can help even one person understand the danger and avoid a fire or burn, that’s a good thing,” said Seirer.
Firefighters say now is a good time to check the batteries in your smoke alarm as well.
Further information on heating safety can be found here. For carbon monoxide safety tips, click here.
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