When the fall season comes often cold weather comes with it and there are some fire safety reminders for the changing season. 

When people begin to turn to their heating sources including furnaces and fireplaces, Perry Fire Chief Chris Hinds says people should remember to inspect these devices before they begin using them. 

“Before you turn on your furnace or your fireplace you always need to do a little bit of inspection. Furnaces should be inspected annually. Make sure that your furnace is cleaned, the burner and everything should be cleaned, spiders and things like that get in there.”

Hinds tells Raccoon Valley Radio to  make sure heating sources are cleaned to avoid carbon monoxide or gas buildup in the home. Hinds reminds people that chimneys are also another item  that should be inspected.

“During the summer time birds and animals, squirrels, things like that have a tendency to go in and out of chimneys. They build nests in there, they drag other debris inside your chimneys and they can plug those things up, plug your flue up so that when you build that fire in that it will not vent properly.”

Hinds reminds people that carbon monoxide is a very dangerous gas which is why people should make a point to clean and inspect their heating sources with even colder months to come.