Oct. 24. The American Red Cross urges families to be safe heating their homes to help prevent home fires, which typically rise during colder months.

A Red Cross survey showed that more than half of he respondents have used a space heater , which is involved in most fatal home heating fires. It’s critical to keep at least three feet of space around all heating equipment, and never leave space heaters unattended.

Additional tips

—If you must use a space heater, place it on a level, hard and nonflammable surface, such as a ceramic tile floor. Don’t place it on rugs and carpets, or near bedding and drapes. And keep children and pets away from the heater.

—Plug space heater power cords directly into outlets — never an extension cord. Turn it off every time you leave the room or go to sleep.

—Never use a cooking range or oven to heat your home.

—Never leave a fire burning in the fireplaces unattended. Make sure any embers in the fireplace are extinguished before going to bed or leaving home. Use a glass or metal fire screen to keep embers in the fireplace.

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

Prevent home fire tragedies

To help protect your family year-round, test your smoke alarms monthly and practice your home fire escape plan until everyone can escape in less than two minutes — the amount of time you may have to get out of a burning home before it’s too late.

Visit redcross.org/fire for more information, including an escape plan to practice with your family.