have you checked the batteries in your smoke alarm?

This week marks the beginning of fire prevention week which runs from Sunday, October 3 through Saturday, October 9.

It’s already starting to get chilly outside and winter weather will be here before we know it! The temperature drop may have you considering turning on the heat or lighting the fireplace in your home soon.

According to the U.S. Fire Administration (USFA), the second leading cause of residential fires in the United States is heating.

Approximately 33,100 home fires in 2019 were attributed to heating sources."

We want to help you and your family stay warm and safe during the colder months by sharing a few helpful tips.

• 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.

Additionally, it’s crucial to make sure that smoke alarms are in proper condition to alert you if there is a fire in your home. The USFA recommends:

• Testing smoke alarms at least once a month.
• Checking the expiration date of your smoke alarm. All smoke alarms expire after 10 years of being manufactured. You can locate the expiration date for smoke alarms on the device itself.
• Listen for chirping. If your smoke alarm makes a single “chirp” sound every 30 to 60 seconds, it’s time to replace the batteries. If this chirping continues after the batteries have been replaced, then the unit has reached the end of its life and needs to be replaced.