Temperatures are expected to remain below freezing through the weekend and into early next week, keep safety in mind if you use space heaters for extra warmth.

Washington County Emergency Management Coordinator Marissa Reisen shared some advice when using space heaters in your home, “Of course keep the space heaters themselves three feet away from furniture or any type of draperies, that way they don’t catch anything on fire. If your cords are frayed, don’t use them.” She also reminds people to test smoke alarms monthly, so that if there were a fire you’d be alerted to it. According to the Iowa Department of Public Safety heating equipment is a leading cause of home fire deaths during the winter months.