As residents turn up the heat as the temperature continues to drop, a local fire chief reminds everyone of safety measures to take when heating your home.

Riverside Fire Chief Chad Smothers says that precautions need to be taken when using a portable space heater, fireplace or furnace. Smothers recommends all residents have a professional come and inspect their furnace for any carbon monoxide leaks or plug ups. For fireplaces, regular chimney cleaning is recommended to avoid blockage and ensure the smoke and heat doesn’t cause further problems. Smothers shares some safety measures to take for anyone with portable space heaters, “Making sure that you’re following the manufacturer’s recommendations and guidelines on space heaters. So you’re plugging them into outlets that can handle the voltage that that thing needs, you’re keeping it the distance that it says to keep away from any items as far as from the space heater itself.”

Smothers added that residents should also watch how many items are plugged into one outlet. The National Fire Protection Association states that heating is the second leading cause of home fires and space heaters account for  four out of five home heating fire deaths. They should always be placed on a solid flat surface and never block an exit. For more safety information, visit here.