Understanding home heating risks - Tyndall Fire and Emergency Services offers advice when keeping warm in winter months Published Jan. 17, 2007 By Courtesy of the Tyndall Fire and Emergency Services Flight 325th Civil Engineer Squadron TYNDALL AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. -- A National Fire Protection Agency report shows 73 percent of home-heating fire deaths are attributed to space heaters. As temperatures drop outdoors and people take steps to warm their homes, the Tyndall Fire and Emergency Services Flight urges the base populace to be mindful of the risks associated with home heating. Along with the colder temperatures that accompany winter, there is an elevated risk of dying from fire during this season with December, January and February generally being the deadliest months for fires. According to a newly released NFPA study, heating equipment was involved in an estimated 53,000 reported home structure fires in the U.S. in 2003. The study includes fires associated with chimneys and chimney connectors, space heaters, central heating, fireplaces, water heaters and heat tape. These fires accounted for 14 percent of all home fires and were responsible for an estimated 260 deaths, roughly 1,300 injuries and $500 million in direct property damage. Although space heaters were responsible for 26 percent of home heating fires in 2003, they were the most deadly, accounting for 73 percent of the fire deaths related to home heating. According to the report, space heaters present a greater fire risk than central heating systems. Space heaters tend to be closer to household combustibles and the people occupying the home. They also tend to require a more direct role by occupants in fueling, maintenance and operation. Any widely used heating device can be used safely, if the rules of safety are followed. Tyndall Fire and Emergency Services suggest the following for safe heating: - Select a space heater with a guard around the heating element. This will help keep children, pets and clothing away from the heat source. Maintain a three-foot separation between heating equipment and items that can catch fire, such as bedspreads and draperies. - When buying a new space heater, make sure it carries the mark of an independent testing laboratory. - Plug electric-powered space heaters into outlets with sufficient capacity and never into an extension cord. Do not hide cords under rugs or carpets. Placing anything on top of the cord could cause the cord to overheat and cause a fire. - Turn off space heaters whenever a room is unoccupied or under circumstances when manufacturer's instructions say they should be turned off. Portable space heaters are easy to knock over in the dark so turn them off before going to bed, but make sure primary heating equipment for bedrooms is sufficient to avoid risks to residents from severe cold. - Do not use an oven to heat a home. - Test smoke alarms monthly and install new batteries yearly. For more information on fire safety, call the Tyndall Fire and Emergency Services Fire Prevention Element at 283-2909 or 283-4777.