Home Fires Spike as Temperatures Plummet: Safety Tips for Cortlandt, Peekskill

Frigid temperatures are all too often accompanied by house fires.

Year after year, firefighters and emergency agencies see a spike in fires during the coldest periods of the year. This spike can sometimes be attributed to unsafe home heating methods.

Since Jan. 5, the Greater NY Red Cross has assisted nearly 80 New Yorkers following 16 local emergencies in New York City, Long Island and the Lower Hudson Valley, Red Cross officials said.

Watch this video posted by the Congers Fire Department on its Facebook page and then check out the tips from the Greater NY Red Cross.

Home heating safety tips from the Red Cross:

• Keep all potential sources of fuel like paper, clothing, bedding or rugs at least three feet away from space heaters, stoves or fireplaces.
• Portable heaters and fireplaces should never be left unattended. Turn off space heaters and make sure any embers in the fireplace are extinguished before going to bed or leaving home.
• If you must use a space heater, place it on a level, hard and nonflammable surface (such as ceramic tile floor), not on rugs or carpets or near bedding or drapes. Keep children and pets away from space heaters.
• Never use a cooking range or oven to heat your home.
• Keep fire in your fireplace by using a glass or metal fire screen large enough to catch sparks and rolling logs.