10 Steps To Stay Warm & Safe

• Our furnace has been inspected and serviced by a qualified professional during the last 12 months (a furnace should be serviced at least once a year).
• Our chimneys and vents have been cleaned and inspected by a qualified professional, I ahve checked for creosote build-up. Not cleaning your chimney is the leading cause of chimney fires from built up creosote. (This service needs to be done at least once a year).
• Our wood for our fireplace or wood stove is dry, seasoned wood.

• Our fireplace screen is metal or heat-tempered glass, in good condition and secure in its position in front of the fireplace.
• We have a covered metal container ready to use dispose cooled ashes. The ash container should be kept at least 10 feet from the home and any nearby buildings).
• Our children know to stay at least 3 feet away from the fireplace, wood/pellet stove, oil stove or other space heaters.
• Our portable space heaters have an automatic shut-off. 
• Our portable space heaters will be plugged directly into an outlet (not an extension cord) and placed at least three feet from anything that can burn; like bedding, paper, walls, and even people. Please notes throughout your home to remind you to turn-off portable heaters when you leave a room or go to bed).
• We have tested our smoke alarms and made sure they are working. You need a smoke alarm on every level of the home, inside each bedroom and outside each sleeping area. For the best protection, the smoke alarms should be interconnected so when one sounds, they all sound.
• We have tested our carbon monoxide alarms and made sure they are working. Carbon monoxide alarms should be located outside each sleeping area and on every level of the home).
• Keep anything that can catch fire — oven mitts, wooden utensils, food packaging, towels or curtains — away from your stovetop.

If you have a cooking fire…

• Just get out! When you leave, close the door behind you to help contain the fire.
• Call 9-1-1 or the local emergency number after you leave.
• If you try to fight the fire, be sure others are getting out and you have a clear way out.
• Keep a lid nearby when you’re cooking to smother small grease fires. Smother the fire by sliding the lid over the pan and turn off the stovetop. Leave the pan covered until it is completely cooled.
• For an oven fire, turn off the heat and keep the door closed.