The Duchesne Volunteer Fire Department has shared tips for electric portable space heater safety. It is very common when the weather turns cold, that households supplement central heating or heat one room with portable space heaters. Two in five deaths in space heater fires involve portable electric space heaters. Here are some tips to be safe: Purchase a heater with the seal of a qualified testing laboratory. Keep heaters at least 3 feet away from anything that can burn, including people. Select a heater that has a thermostat and overheat protection. Make sure that the heater has an auto shut-off to turn the heater off if it tips over. When setting up the heater, place it on a solid, flat surface and out of the way of foot traffic. Always plug the heater directly into a wall outlet and do not use an extension cord. All space heaters should be turned off and unplugged when a person leaves the room or goes to bed. Finally, keep children away from space heaters.
