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When temperatures reach the bottom, home fire frequency peaks. That’s the word from the National Fire Protection Association, a global self-funded nonprofit organization devoted to eliminating death, injury, property, and economic loss due to fire.
The NFPA says that 46 percent of US home heating equipment fires happen between December and February, an annual average of 37,365 incidents each year in the US. Those resulted in 417 civilian deaths, 1,260 injuries, and $1.2 billion in property damage.
When extreme cold weather strikes, it’s crucial to keep safety a top priority, and the organization wants people to keep these reminders top-of-mind:
Make sure all heating equipment is cleaned, inspected annually, and in good working order.
Keep any flammable materials at least 3 feet away from any and all heating equipment.
If required for the device, use only the fuel recommended by the manufacturer.
Turn off all auxiliary heaters when leaving a room or going to sleep.
Also, people should have a working Carbon Monoxide alarm along with a smoke detector, installed as specified, and never use a stove as a substitute for a heater of any sort.
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