Winter Fire Safety Tips

• Keep anything that can burn at least three feet away from heating equipment, like the furnace, fireplace, wood stove, or portable space heater;
• Have a three-foot "kid-free zone" around open fires, space heaters and the kitchen stove;
• Never use your oven to heat your home;
• Have a qualified professional install stationary space heating equipment, water heaters, or central heating equipment according to local codes and manufacturers' instructions;
• Have heating equipment and chimneys cleaned and inspected every year by a qualified professional;
• Remember to turn portable heaters off when leaving the room or going to bed;
• Always use the right kind of fuel, specified by the manufacturer, for fuel burning space heaters;
• Make sure the fireplace has a sturdy screen to stop sparks from flying into the room. Ashes should be cool before putting them in a metal container for disposal. Keep the container a safe distance away from your home;
• Be sure to have an operable smoke detector outside and INSIDE of each room used for sleeping. Test smoke alarms monthly and change the battery annually. Hardwired smoke detectors that get their power from the home's electrical system are the most reliable;
• Install a carbon monoxide detector within 10 feet of the doorway of all bedrooms;
• Consider installing residential fire sprinklers in your home, especially if you're building a new house. Fire sprinklers are 97% effective in controlling fires and are the best fire protection available.

And consider this opportunity:

Saint Paul homeowners have a unique opportunity to join the Saint Paul Fire Department's Project Safe Haven program. The fire department will send you a valuable safety checklist for you to do a safety survey of your home. When that's completed, you can have a fire crew come out to review your safety survey with you, install smoke and carbon monoxide detectors for you if you need them, install a stovetop fire extinguisher, and help you put together a fire exit plan for your home. To join the Project Safe Haven, start by calling the Saint Paul Fire Department at 651.228.6273. Help the Saint Paul Dire Department "Put a Freeze on Winter Fires" this year!!

Submitted by the Saint Paul Fire Department.