Written by Amanda Coers – The first day of spring is March 20th, and Brownwood area residents can expect several more cold snaps before warmer weather takes hold in Central Texas. Brownwood Fire Marshal, Buddy Preston has a few tips for safely heating homes when the temperatures drop.

“The colder the temperatures, the more chance we have of fires,” said Brownwood Fire Marshal Buddy Preston. Portable heaters, often overloaded onto extension cords, and fireplaces in need of maintenance are often the culprits in winter fire emergencies.

“We’ve had two chimney fires this winter,” said Preston, noting that on average, the fire department responds to 3-5 chimney fires per year.

The fire marshal recommends portable heaters with a “tip switch” that will shut off if knocked over. It is also recommended to keep a three-foot clearance between heaters and anything combustable. Heaters should not be placed near furniture or beds.

“In years past, we’ll have someone who kept the heater near their bed. They’ll kick the covers off, or a pillow will fall off,” leading to a fire, Preston explained.

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Elderly residents will often feel the need to heat their home more frequently, the fire marshal explained. He also recommended layering clothing to keep warm instead of overly-relying on heating devices. “At home, wear a robe or jacket, sweats – so you don’t need as much heat.”

The fire marshal encouraged residents to have their heating systems inspected annually to ensure the systems are clean, free of dust, with no leaks. Fireplaces should be cleaned a minimum of every two years.

“Any kind of wood you burn in there puts off ash, and that sticks in the flue pipe. As it builds up, a spark can catch it,” said Preston.

If a fire does start in a fireplace flue pipe, the fire marshal says residents should not try to extinguish it with water, explaining that process could crack protective sealing within flue pipes and potentially cause the fire to spread.

“Try to turn the air off to it,” Preston said. “Close the damper, call the fire department. Don’t try to use a garden hose to squirt water up into the fireplace.”

Fires often occur at night, as residents heat their homes while they’re sleeping. The fire marshal expressed smoke alarms are extremely important for alerting residents of a possible emergency. Residents need to check fire alarm batteries once a month, and change the batteries every six months. The Brownwood Fire Department has a limited supply of smoke alarms available for residents who cannot afford the devices. The department also has a program available for handicapped residents who need assistance changing their smoke alarm batteries.

Should a fire occur, Preston urges residents to stay low and get out of the home as quickly as possible.

“Don’t go back in for a dog or a cat, call us. The first thing we’ll do if we even suspect someone is still in the house is do a primary search, with one team attacking the fire and another team will perform a search,” Preston said. A secondary team will also perform another search after the first, with a different set of firefighters searching the home for anyone still inside. “We’ll have a different set of guys, so we can have another set of eyes.”

Concerned neighbors should not attempt to open doors or windows looking for individuals inside a house that may be on fire. The fire marshal cautions against that, as it could potentially feed the fire fresh air and cause the flames to spread more quickly.

“Call us. That’s our job. Call us, and stay outside, and tell us what they know,” Preston said.