Four kids and their mom were killed in December in Oklahoma City by a fire started by a space heater. This heater was too close to a flammable material. Live Safe reports that over 100,000 house fires occur in the U.S. each winter and cause nearly a thousand deaths. Space heaters cause one-third of these fires and nearly 80% of house fire deaths.
Space heaters can be useful and help to keep rooms warm and your family comfortable in the cold winter months. But the fires they cause are preventable. To protect your family and your home, here are some helpful safety tips:
- Never leave a space heater unattended.
- Keep heaters at least three feet away from flammable material.
- Don’t keep them in places where they can be bumped and knocked over,
- Always turn heaters off and unplug them at night and when leaving the house,
- Make sure your smoke detectors are working.
Keep in mind that heaters can burn children. Keep them out of areas where kids play. Establish “no enter” zones. The Mayo Clinic recommends teaching kids early that heaters and hot appliances aren’t toys. Simple steps can protect them from being hurt or causing harm to others.
