The return of frigid temperatures and a recent series of fatal fires have prompted public safety officials to renew cautions about the use of space heaters.
Missouri Department of Public Safety Director Daniel Isom issued the reminder in the wake of fires during a five-day span in early February that claimed seven lives.
"I urge the public to understand the dangers" of portable heaters and alternative heating devices, he said, "and to closely follow the necessary precautions anytime they are used, especially around children and at night when people are sleeping."
The series of fires is a tragic illustration of the potential danger. According to the National Fire Protection Association, space heaters each year account for about one-third of home heating fire and 80 percent of death from home heating fires.
What can you do? Isom urges people to follow these safety precautions:
• Keep anything that can burn at least three feet away from heating equipment. The three-foot safety zone includes furniture, drapes and electronics - anything that can burn.
• Have a three-foot "kid-free zone" around open fires and space heaters.
• Turn off portable heaters whenever leaving the room or going to bed.
• Do not overload extension cords or outlets. Many extension cords and power strips are not designed to handle the load of an electric heater. Never place an electrical cord under a rug.
• Never use an oven or other cooking devices to heat your home.
• Make sure your home has working smoke and carbon monoxide alarms by testing them monthly.
Even if you're skeptical of Punxsutawney Phil's forecast of an extended winter, every Missourian has experienced the unpredictability of our state's weather.
We can't do anything about winter, but we can follow precautions for using home heating devices.