Winter has arrived and in case you didn't notice, it's gotten colder. This means that everyone will be running their home heating systems to keep themselves and their families warm and cozy. Which is why half of all heating system fires occur in the three months of December, January and February. Here are some tips from our friends at the National Fire Protection Assn. for general heating safety that you might find helpful:

--Keep anything that can burn at least three feet away from heating equipment, like the furnace, fireplace, wood stove, or portable space heater.
--Have a three-foot “kid-free zone” around open fires and space heaters.
--Never use your oven to heat your home.
--Have a qualified professional install stationary space heating equipment, water heaters or central heating equipment according to the local codes and manufacturer’s instructions.
--Have heating equipment and chimneys cleaned and inspected every year by a qualified professional.
--Remember to turn portable heaters off when leaving the room or going to bed.
--Always use the right kind of fuel, specified by the manufacturer, for fuel burning space heaters.
--Make sure the fireplace has a sturdy screen to stop sparks from flying into the room. Ashes should be cool before putting them in a metal container. Keep the container a safe distance away from your home.

Working smoke detectors and carbon monoxide detectors are always important, but never more than during this season. Make sure you test yours at least monthly. TSFR will provide detectors free of charge to Township homeowners. We'll even install them for you. Just call the station at 610-898-1452 to arrange for installation.