Local Fire Inspector tells you how to be fire safe during the winter months

STARKVILLE, MISS. (WCBI) – The frigid temperatures the past few nights have people pulling out extra heat sources, like space heaters, and firefighters say some of them can be dangerous.

Space heaters can warm up your room, but they can be dangerous if they’re not used properly.

The fire inspector at the Starkville Fire Department says it’s not unusual for them to respond to fires started by space heaters during cold weather.

He says one of the most critical mistakes people make is using extension cords for power.

“Always plug it directly into the outlet. Don’t use a surge protector; just straight into an outlet. And only use one appliance per that outlet. You know, so don’t put two space heaters on that one outlet. On space heaters, the biggest thing is we need to keep them three feet from anything that’s combustible, like the bedroom the bed, the blankets. You need to cut them off before you go to bed,” says Jonathan Wade, a Fire Inspector with Starkville F.D.  “If you leave the room you need to cut them off. Make sure no fire gets started by them.”

Wade also says space heaters are not designed to warm large areas.