​Heating is the second leading cause of home fires. Take steps to protect your family while staying warm this season.

• Install and test carbon monoxide alarms at least once a month.
• 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.
• Keep anything that can burn at least 3 feet from any heat source like fireplaces, wood stoves, radiators or space heaters.
• Plug only one heat-producing appliance (such as a space heater) into an electrical outlet at a time.
• Never use an oven to heat your home.
• Turn space heaters off when leaving the room or going to bed.