The American Red Cross says the number one cause of house fires is cooking.
They shared how important it is not to leave the stove unattended, even if you think it'll be for just a few minutes.
If you do need to step away, it's best to turn it off completely to ensure your safety.
Bridget Posson, the Executive Director for the Northern Nevada Chapter, told us, "Fires in your home revolving around cooking is the number one cause of a home fire, so not having loose clothing when you're cooking, making sure that you're not leaving the stove or other heating sources unattended, and making sure that kids and pets are about three feet away from the cooking area."
They said smoke alarms need to be placed on each level of your house, including inside and outside of bedrooms.
With the cold weather approaching, they want to remind people of ways to heat their house safely.
Posson said, "Not leaving a burning fire in your fireplace unattended, and then in terms of space heaters, making sure that those are about three feet away from walls, from things that can catch on fire, like furniture and things like that, and then also making sure, like the cords are stable and the plugs aren't getting too hot."
They shared how they've also responded to house fires that were caused by poor care of lithium-ion batteries.
“Everything that you charge, your cell phone, your laptop, toys, power tools. If they're a rechargeable item, those have a lithium-ion battery, and they store a lot of energy. And if those batteries are misused, if they're damaged, they can catch fire. They can even explode," said Posson.
The Red Cross says it's important for every household to have an escape plan if a fire were to break out.
They shared how educating your kids on this topic can be the thing that keeps them safe during a moment of panic.
Posson told us, "making sure when you're going over your home escape plan, including your children in that plan. Make sure that they know what a smoke alarm sounds like. Make sure that they know where a safe meeting place is, and practicing that home escape plan as a family a couple of times a year is a really, really good idea."
The Red Cross has a program people can utilize for smoke alarm installations.
Call (775) 954-1185 for assistance.
