City of Westlake Fire Dept. News: Prevent Winter Fires During the Cold Months

Did you know that more home fires occur more in winter than in any other season? If you have specific questions or concerns pertaining to heating sources, please call your Fire Department at 440-871-3441. The Westlake Fire Department shared winter safety tips from FEMA, U.S. Fire Administration and National Fire Protection Association (NFPA):

• Half of all home heating fires occur in the months of December, January and February.
• Heating equipment is involved in 1 in every 7 reported home fires and 1 in every 5 home fire deaths.
• Keep anything that can burn at least 3 feet from any heat source like fireplace, wood stoves, radiators or space heaters.
• Keep portable generators outside away from windows, and as far away as possible from your home.
• Install and test carbon monoxide alarms at least once a month.
• Plug only 1 heat-producing appliance (such as a space heater) into an electrical outlet at a time.
• Have a qualified professional clean and inspect your chimney and vents every year.
• Store cooled ashes in a tightly covered metal container, and keep it outside at least 10 feet from your home and any nearby buildings.

For more information on how to prevent winter fires, visit www.usfa.fema.gov/winter and www.nfpa.org/winter.

Find more safety tips at www.cityofwestlake.org/Fire.