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Tinker fire officials want to keep you safe, warm this winter

  • Published
  • By Todd Evers
  • Tinker Fire & Emergency Services
TINKER AIR FORCE BASE, Okla. --  With cold temperatures outside, most Team Tinker families take to the indoors to keep safe and warm. What they may not realize is that turning up the heat can increase the risk of home heating fires.

According to the National Fire Protection Association, home heating equipment is the second leading cause of U.S. home fires and half of all home-heating fires occur during the winter months. On average, NFPA research shows that heating equipment is involved in more than 62,550 reported U.S. home structure fires per year, with associated loss of more than 516 civilian deaths, more than 1,595 civilian injuries and roughly $924 million in direct property damage per year.

"While these numbers are frightening, nearly all of these fires are preventable," said Shawn Mosshammer, fire inspector of Tinker Fire & Emergency Services. "We can reduce the number of home heating fires in our community by taking some simple precautions and using heating equipment properly."

NFPA and TF&ES Fire Prevention office recommend some simple home heating safety tips, so residents can help keep the Tinker community safe and warm this winter.

· Ensure smoke alarms are installed in every bedroom, outside each sleeping area and on every level of the home. Test smoke alarms at least once a month.

· Practice your home fire escape drill.

· Have your chimney inspected annually by a qualified professional and cleaned if necessary.

· Use a sturdy fireplace screen.

· Allow ashes to cool before disposing. Dispose of ashes in a metal container.

· Space heaters need space. Keep all things that can burn, such as paper, bedding or furniture, at least 3 feet away from heating equipment.

· Turn portable heaters off when you go to bed or leave the room.

· Plug power cords only into outlets with sufficient capacity and never into an extension cord.

· Inspect for cracked or broken plugs or loose connections. Replace before using.

· Ensure a carbon monoxide alarm is in a central location outside each sleeping area and on every level of the home.

· Never use an oven to heat your home.

Winter fires are preventable! For more heating safety advice from NFPA and USFA's "Put a Freeze on Winter" campaign, visit www.nfpa.org/winter.