POTSDAM – In the wake of recent cold-weather house fires in Fowler, Canton and Hermon, the Potsdam Branch Manager of the American Red Cross of Northern New York warns area residents to take steps to reduce the risk of heating-related fires.

Manager Olga Grant writes in a letter to the editor that alternate heating sources and faulty wiring people may use to operate them can be a real danger.

She lists several precautions people can take to protect their homes and loved ones in the letter that follows:

Letter to the Editor:

Keeping our families safe and warm during the cold winter weather is always a top priority. But if you plan to use alternate heating sources, you may be putting your family at risk of fire. The Red Cross urges AREA residents to take some steps to reduce the risk of heating-related fires.

All heaters need space. Keep all things that can burn such as paper, matches, bedding, furniture and clothing, at least three feet away from heating equipment. Turn off space heaters when you go to bed or leave the room. Plug power cords directly into outlets and never into an extension cord. Never use a cooking range or oven to heat your home. Maintain heating equipment and chimneys by having them cleaned and inspected annually by a qualified professional.

Also, every home needs two important things: a working smoke alarm on every level of the residence and inside all bedrooms, as well as a fire escape plan so that every family member knows how to get out of harms way quickly.

The plan should identify at least two exits from every room and a place to meet outside that is located a safe distance from your home.

If a fire does occur, the Red Cross will be there. Last year the American Red Cross of Northern New York responded to 56 home fires, providing food, shelter and emotional support to the families affected.

To learn more about how you can reduce your risk of home fires and help your neighbors recover after a fire, visit www.redcross.org/homefires.

Olga Grant

Branch Manager