Red Cross issues Fire Safety Tips

With more residential fires being reported in the Upstate of South Carolina, the American Red Cross issues fire safety tips. Never use a stove or oven to heat the home. Keep items that can catch on fire at least three feet away from anything that gets hot, such as space heaters. Never smoke in bed. Talk to your children regularly about the dangers of fire, matches and lighters and keep them out of reach. Turn portable heaters off when you leave the room or go to sleep. If using a fireplace, use a glass or metal fire screen large enough to catch sparks and rolling logs. Use generators correctly, never operate a generator inside the home, including in the basement or garage. Install smoke alarms on every level of your home, inside bedrooms and outside sleeping areas. Teach your children what smoke alarms sound like and what to do when they hear one. Test smoke alarms once a month; if they are not working, change the batteries.