ALBANY, GA (WALB) - As winter is sweeping across the nation, many people may be using space heaters to stay warm this winter.
The Albany Fire Department encourages you to follow some simple guidelines to keep yourself safe.
Albany Deputy Fire Chief Sebon Burns recommends you use the three-foot rule. Keep everything, like curtains and rugs, along with yourself, away from the space heater to avoid anything from catching on fire.
Another tip, if you’re going to leave the room, turn the space heater off and if you’re leaving the house, unplug it.
Also, Never use an extension cord.
“Space heater or any other appliance you get, you need to read the instructions carefully," said Burns. "A lot of times people don’t and we’ve got a lot of space heaters that use a type of fuel to heat. Make sure you get the right type of fuel to put in the space heater.”
Burns said that a lot of the city’s fires have started with items getting too close to the space heaters.
Copyright 2018 WALB. All rights reserved.
