The Central and Northern Missouri Chapter of the American Red Cross, want to give some cold weather tips to help keep everyone safe and cozy as the weather temperatures change .

The Red Cross wants to remind folks that heating equipment is still the leading cause of fires in this country and overall of the 60,ooo-plus disasters the Red Cross responds to each year, home fires account for most, especially in the colder seasons.

Red Cross also listed a few tips to ensure fires safety when using heating equipment.

If using a space heater to never leave unattended, set on a hard level surface such as a ceramic tile floor. Do not place on rugs, carpet, or near bedding or drapes.
They say you should plug space heaters directly into power sources and refrain from using extension cords, and turn off when unattended or sleeping.

They also want to remind you to keep at least 3 feet of area between children, pets, or anything flammable from space heating equipment.
Never use a cooking range or stove as a heating source for your homes.
Never leave a fire unattended in fireplaces, and make sure all embers are extinguished before going to bed or leaving your home. They also recommend always using a fire screen to contain any embers.

Have furnaces, chimneys, fireplaces, wood and coal stoves expected annually by a professional and cleaned if necessary.

For year around protection Red Cross says to always test your smoke alarms monthly as well as have a fire escape plan that all household members know and can accomplish in less than two minutes.

If you need help and cannot afford to purchase smoke alarms or can not physically install one Red Cross is able to help. You can visit the link www.redcross.org/SmokeAlarmMO to sign up with Red Cross for smoke alarm installation.