Cedar Falls Fire Department stresses heat safety after multiple Northeastern Iowans died from fire last week

CEDAR FALLS, Iowa (KCRG) - According to the State Fire Marshall, 7 people died because of fires in Northeastern Iowa during the last week. Therefore, the Cedar Falls Fire Department is emphasizing fire Safety.

First, it’s important to have smoke alarms in each bedroom, on every floor of your home, and outside each sleeping area. It’s also important not to paint the smoke alarms, which can keep the alarms from working. All smoke alarms in your house should also be programmed to go off if one alarm goes off. Remember, you should replace the batteries in all your alarms each year and get new smoke alarms every decade.

During the winter, incorrectly using space heaters can also cause fires. Make sure everything that can burn is 3 feet or more away from your space heater. This includes curtains and tablecloths. Space heaters should also be kept on a flat and solid surface. Get a space heater that has an automatic shut off switch that will turn off the heater if it gets too hot. Checking your heater for any damaged plugs or cords is also important. Space heaters should never be plugged into an extension cord, only into wall outlets.