Safety tips for warming up before the winter storm and the cold spell

MISSOULA - Blizzards and cold weather have reminded local firefighters about their safety.

The Missoula Rural Fire District (MRFD) points out that in the United States, heating is the second most common cause of indoor fires.

MRFD captain Ron Lubke said in a press release, "Safety should be your top priority."

Here are some suggestions to keep your home warm and safe:

• Have your fireplaces, wood stoves and pellet stoves checked every year before use. Clean the chimney to remove creosote, which could ignite and ignite a chimney fire.
• Keep everything that can be burnt, one meter away from radiators, fireplaces, wood stoves, pellet stoves and radiators.
• The openings around fireplaces and wood stoves can get hot enough to burn the skin. Therefore, make sure to keep children and pets away. When you have finished your fire, make sure it is off before you leave home or fall asleep. Place the ash in a metal box with lid for cleaning. Store the box outdoors, away from home and other flammable objects, until the ashes are completely cold.
• Use a tempered glass or metal grid in the chimney opening to keep sparks inside. Only burn clean, dry wood in fireplaces and wood or wood pellets in wood stoves.
• Never use gasoline to light a fire. There is no safe way to light a fire with gasoline.
• Use only portable radiators that have been listed by a testing laboratory such as UL (see lab label). These heaters must have an automatic shut-off switch to shut them off when overturned. Connect portable electric heaters directly to the wall outlet. Do not use extension cords or power strips.
• Turn off the heaters when leaving the room or before falling asleep. Never leave heaters unattended.
• Make sure that all heaters, such as As heaters or boilers, have been checked and work properly. If the heaters are equipped with filters, check how often the filters need to be changed or cleaned based on the manufacturer's recommendations, and replace them if necessary.
• Install carbon monoxide detectors in all levels of your home and make sure they work.
• Always leave smoke detectors in operation at home. Smoke detectors must be installed on all levels of the house, in every room and outside of any room.

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