According to the National Fire Protection Agency, cooking, heating, and candle burning are among the top five leading causes of an accidental house fire.  As we head into the holiday season and colder temperatures, please keep the following helpful tips in mind to keep your family safe and avoid a potentially dangerous situation.

• Remain in the kitchen while you are cooking.  If you are simmering, baking, or roasting food, check it regularly and use a timer to remind you that you are cooking.
• Keep anything that can catch fire — oven mitts, wooden utensils, food packaging, towels or curtains — away from your stovetop.
• 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 qualified professional install stationary space heating equipment, water heaters or central heating equipment according to the local building codes and manufacturer’s instructions.
• Have your heating equipment and chimney cleaned and inspected every year by a qualified professional.
• Remember to turn portable heaters off when leaving the room or going to bed.  
• 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. Keep the container a safe distance away from your home.
• Test smoke alarms at least once a month and make sure to change the batteries every 6 months.
• Blow out all candles when you leave the room or go to bed. Avoid the use of candles in the bedroom and other areas where people may fall asleep.
• Keep candles at least 1 foot away from anything that can burn.
• Never use a candle if oxygen is used in the home.

For more information on fire safety, visit www.nfpa.org