CINCINNATI — As people across the Tri-State prepare to stay warm during a winter storm, the Cincinnati Fire Department warns that some things people might use to stay warm could pose a fire risk.
Some of the department's tips include:
- Checking the area around your furnace to make sure there aren't objects too close to it;
- Making sure your smoke and carbon monoxide detectors are working properly and;
- Finding another way to stay warm if your fireplace has been inspected this year.
"We go into homes this time of year because individuals haven't had those items looked at and we can get CO numbers off the chart and, of course, we know that can lead to death," firefighter Josette Davenport said.
With a fireplace, soot can also build up, creating an increased fire danger.
Davenport also urges people to exercise caution when using space heaters.
"A space heater gives off heat. So that heat has the potential of being too close to an object to where it could melt or even potentially cause a fire," Davenport said.
She recommends keeping space heaters three to five feet away from objects or even pets and small children to keep everyone safe. It's also important to give the space heater time to cool off if it's been running for more than five or six hours. Davenport said once the space heater cools off, it's okay to power it back up again.
Davenport advises against turning the oven on and using that as a way to stay warm. This can pose both a carbon monoxide and fire danger.
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