As the result of several residential structure fires in recent weeks, the Kootenai County Fire Prevention Co-Op and the Kootenai County Fire Chiefs would like to offer the following safety tips regarding heating your home in colder weather.

- Make sure all heating equipment has been installed by a professional, following the manufacturers recommendations and current applicable codes.

- Have all furnaces and chimneys professionally cleaned and serviced each year.

- Keep an area of at least 3 feet diameter, in front of your heating appliance, clear of any combustible items which can ignite with sudden or gradual heating.

- Create a “kid-free zone” at least 3 feet away from open flames or space heaters.

- Shut off space heaters when you leave the home or go to sleep.

- Ensure your space heater has a tip-over protection feature.

- NEVER plug a space heater into an extension cord. ALWAYS plug it directly into a properly installed electrical outlet.

- Ensure wood burning fireplaces have a screen to protect embers from flying into the room.

- Cool ashes from the fireplace before placing them in a metal bucket, with a tight-fitting lid, and keep the container away from your home.

- Make sure you have working smoke detectors in your home, and that you test the detectors monthly to ensure they are operating correctly.

- Install and maintain carbon monoxide detectors to avoid CO poisoning.

- A hot fire, burning clean dry wood will help keep creosote from forming and lessen the chance of fire in the chimney

In the event of fire, evacuate your family and pets immediately and call 911. Once you have exited your home do not go back inside if you see smoke or flames.

— Craig Etherton - president