Lugoff Fire Chief Offers Winter Weather Fire Prevention Tips

COLUMBIA, S.C. (WOLO ) — As residents continue to brave the cold temperatures Lugoff Fire Chief is offering winter weather fire prevention tips as many try to keep their homes heated.

Chief Ray said that each year fire claims the lives of 3,500 Americans, injures 18,300, and causes billions of dollars’ worth of damage.

People living in rural areas are more than twice as likely to die in a fire as those living in mid-sized cities or suburban areas.

The misuse of wood stoves, portable space heaters and kerosene heaters are especially common risks in rural areas.

Here are some general fire prevention tips to keep our homes safe from fire:

• Space heaters need space-keep furniture and objects away
• Electric space heaters must be plugged directly into a wall outlet
• Read owner manual very carefully for all heating devices
• Never dry clothing or fabrics on or near space heaters
• Check for cracks and solid construction of wood stoves being used
• Never fill Kerosene heaters with gasoline or camp stove oil and never refill when hot
• Have a carbon-monoxide detector on every level of the home outside every sleepingarea-CO is a silent killer!
•  Clean chimneys often to prevent creosote build-up and fire dangers/ avoid placing paperproducts inside the fireplace
• Make sure dampers are open before starting fires inside fireplaces
• Use a heavy screen or insert in fireplaces to prevent logs from rolling out
• Allow ashes to cool before removing them and always place ashes inside a metalcontainer keeping the container at least 10 feet away from buildings
• Make sure you have working smoke detectors in the home outside every sleeping areaon each floor of the home
• Lugoff Fire provides free smoke detector installations! Call us if you need one!
• Have a home escape plan and practice it with the family
• Plug major appliances directly into outlets and do not overload extension cords/powerstrips(especially Christmas lights)
• Never leave food cooking unattended on a stove or grill
• Closely follow safety precautions for deep fryers/turkey fryers
• Avoid using candles, but never leave candles unattended if they are used and ensurethey are on sturdy metal or ceramic holders at least 12 inches away from anything thatcan burn
• Always use portable generators outside away from doors and windows-never use inside of enclosed areas of a home or building

Call Lugoff Fire at 803-438-2553 to speak with a firefighter for more information.