TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Today, Florida Chief Financial Officer (CFO) and State Fire Marshal Jimmy Patronis issued a fire safety alert urging Floridians to follow important fire safety tips to ensure a safe holiday season. Many holiday related fires start in the kitchen, with cooking related accidents, and holiday decorations can be a major fire hazard if the proper safety precautions are not taken. With today marking the First Day of Winter and temperatures begin to drop around the state, it’s also important to be cautious when using wood burning stoves, space heaters and fireplaces. According to the National Fire Prevention Association (NFPA), more than two of every five decoration fires happen due to decorations being placed too close to a heat source and one-third of the time that heat source is a candle. Heating equipment is the leading cause of fires in U.S. homes and nearly half of all home heating fires occur in December, January, and February.

CFO and State Fire Marshal Jimmy Patronis said, “As Floridians gather with family and loved ones this holiday season, it’s vital that you always keep safety in mind when entertaining, cooking, decorating, and using heating equipment during the holidays. As temperatures begin to drop now and in the upcoming months, Floridians must use fire safety precautions when using space heaters, wood burning stoves, and fireplaces. Make sure to keep decorations away from fireplaces and heaters and keep an eye on little ones around open fires. By following a few simple heating safety tips and making safety a priority, you can avoid accidents and keep your family safe and warm during the winter months.”

Five Winter Heating Fire Safety Tips:

1. Keep objects away from heaters and fireplaces. Keep flammable objects at least three-feet away from heating equipment, like the furnace, fireplace, wood stove, or portable space heater. Have a three-foot “kid-free zone” around open fires and space heaters.

    

2. Keep fireplaces and chimneys clean. Have heating equipment and chimneys cleaned and inspected every year by a qualified professional.

    

3. Never leave a fire unattended. Remember to extinguish fireplaces and turn portable heaters off when leaving the room or going to bed.

    

4. Do not use your oven to heat your home. Have a qualified professional install stationary space heating equipment, water heaters or central heating equipment according to your local codes and manufacturer’s instructions.

    

5. Use Carbon Monoxide detectors. Since carbon monoxide can be produced by a number of fuel-burning devices, it's important to have carbon monoxide alarms on every level of your home. This will ensure every person in the home can hear and be alerted to the emergency.
   

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About CFO Jimmy Patronis 
Chief Financial Officer and State Fire Marshal Jimmy Patronis is a statewide elected official and a member of Florida’s Cabinet who oversees the Department of Financial Services. CFO Patronis works each day to fight insurance fraud, support Florida’s firefighters, and ensure the state’s finances are stable to support economic growth in the state. Follow the activities of the Department on Facebook (FLDFS) and X (@FLDFS).