With cold weather moving in, many individuals are turning on their heat for the first time this year.

While some may have heating through a central system, others have individual heaters for each room, and others may have to use space heaters. Adair and Guthrie County Emergency Management Coordinator Bob Kempf says that when it comes to space heaters, it’s important to have ones that meet the current safety standards. He tells Raccoon Valley Radio one safety tip for anyone who uses any kind of space heater.

“Not leaving a space heater on when you go to sleep, it’s more important to put a few extra blankets on the bed instead of leaving that space heater going for any potential accidents. And then of course, the cords that we use for those electric space heaters are very important. It’s best not to use an extension cord, but if you have to, making sure that it’s heavy enough to power that space heater. The little light duty indoor extension cords are not the best. You should be using one that’s got a minimum of a twelve gauge wire.”

For those heaters that comply with current standards, Kempf mentions that they have a button on the bottom, that should pressure on the switch be released, the heater would stop working. He explains that this is a safety measure in the event that a heater falls over, which helps to prevent fires. Kempf states that another safety measure to remember is that space heaters need to have a clear space around them of nearly three feet in diameter. This also helps to prevent fires.