GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) – More home fires occur during the winter months than in any other season with half of all home heating fires happening in December, January and February.
Michael McLeeier from E.S.C.A.P.E. Fire Safety joined the eightWest team to talk about how we can stay safe this winter.
For more information and resources, visit EscapeInc.org.
Space heaters are often viewed as a way to cut down on the heating bill and ad warmth to any room.
But some users of these heaters are oblivious to the dangers that may loom if they aren’t used properly.
E.S.C.A.P.E.‘s founder / president and former president of the Michigan State Firemen’s Association and 20 year fire safety veteran Michael McLeieer, tells WBKB 11 in Alpena why space heaters should be used sparingly.
“If space heaters are used as a primary heating source that puts our family at risk because those space heaters can overload, or if those space heaters are left on when we’re not at home, a fire could occur.”
Nearly two thirds of winter house fires are caused by heating homes improperly.
Here are McLeieer’s tips to ensure your space heater is not a fire safety hazard.
“Space heaters need space, they need at least three feet of space from anything that can catch fire, that could be clothing, that could be our furniture, and as we have now the winter weather before us, we want to make sure that people aren’t putting gloves or things like that to dry on the space heater because that’s a way that could catch those items on fire.”
Space heaters should never be left unattended under any circumstance.
As the temperatures drop, people tend to resort to using space heaters and other methods to heat their homes and businesses, but they need to play it safe and prevent a home fire or carbon monoxide poisoning.
Michael McLeieer, president and founder of E.S.C.A.P.E. spoke with WLNS TV 6, FOX 17 TV, WBKB TV and WKZO AM 590 and FM 106.9 radio this week and shared some simple but important tips and resources to prevent a home fire and increase your chances of surviving a fire should it occur.
WLNS TV 6:
FOX 17 TV:
WKZO Radio:
WBKB TV (Alpena, MI):
Here are a couple of links to some free resources and tips to prevent winter home fires from the National Fire Protection Association
and United States Fire Administration
https://www.usfa.fema.gov/prevention/outreach/media/social_toolkits/toolkit_heating.html