money Shreveport has had 71 fire-related calls in 18 days. Here are some safety tips from SFD
Shreveport Fire Department has had over 70 calls listed as fires in 2022.
In the first 18 days of the year, Shreveport Fire Department has responded to 71 fire-related calls. Some of these calls have resulted in easily extinguished fires caused by fireworks and some in injuries that resulted in complete losses of homes.
"Many of our home fires have been vacant," Shreveport Fire Department Chief Assistant Clarence Reese said.
Shreveport Fire Department is seeing an increasing number of vacant homes going up in flames due to the cold weather.
Reese said, "we have had a string of vacant house fires and that is mainly from people squatting in homes or buildings."
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While inside the vacant home they will create heat through candles and small brush fires. These brush fires quickly get out of hand resulting in the individuals escaping but leaving another home in despair.
Reese warns homeowners, "if you are a neighbor of a home that is vacant pay attention to who comes in and out of those homes. If somebody is in that home that should not be in that home then make contact with SPD, because people who are seeking shelter from the cold are getting in there and there is no heat inside the home so they are using anything they can."
Fire Safety
Stove and kitchen appliance fire safety tips
Kitchen safety is important when it comes to fires. The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) reported that 44% of fires start in kitchens.
Fires can begin when homeowners use stoves or ovens to heat the home.
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"Heating the home through the stove or open flames inside of the home is discouraged by the fire department," Reese said. "Fires get out of control when nobody is tending to them."
Reese also brought up the safety issue of gas stoves which can cause carbon monoxide poisoning.
Space heaters and heating equipment safety tips
Heating equipment is popular during the wintertime and includes fireplaces and space heaters.
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"Fireplaces need to be inspected periodically and cleaned," Reese said.
NFPA stated in their 2021 fire statistics that failure to clean equipment was the leading factor in home fires and accounted for a quarter of all the heating equipment fires.
Space heaters on the other hand have many precautions including:
Keep anything that can burn at least 3 feet from the space heater
Never leave a space heater unattended.
Turn off when leaving a room or sleeping
Never plug a space heater into an extension cord. Operate space heaters on level, flat surfaces on the ground
Never use a space heater or any appliance with a damaged cord
Always follow manufactures recommendations
Final safety tips
Reese said if you smell anything abnormal around chords unplug the device because electrical fires can occur with too many items plugged into power outlets.
"Regardless of whatever you are using to heat your home make sure you have smoke detectors installed in your home," Reese said. Reese also wants people to have safety escapes planned and ready.
Smoke alarms are offered through the Shreveport Fire Department. To put your name on the list to receive a free smoke alarm call the Shreveport Fire Prevention Office at 318-673-6740.
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Makenzie Boucher is a reporter with the Shreveport Times. Contact her at mboucher@gannett.com.
This article originally appeared on Shreveport Times: After 71 fire-related calls in 18 days, SFD shares fire safety tips
