Cold Front: Home heating tips to live by

With the cold front expected to batter parts of Gauteng over the next couple of days, the City of Johannesburg Emergency Management Services has reminded residents of heating tips to live by.

FAMILIES URGED TO EXERCISE CAUTION DURING COLD DAYS

Due to spikes in negligence during Winter, the City of Johannesburg Emergency Management Services has urged families to be safe when heating their homes to help prevent home fires, which typically rise during cold months.

ALSO READ: Shack fire season: Joburg Launches Winter Safety Campaign

The City has seen a rise in shack fires which have destroyed homes and the lives of ordinary citizens in the past couple of months.
Two burnt bodies were recently recovered on 4 June, following a destructive shack fire in Joburg’s Zandspruit informal settlement.

ALSO READ: 41 shacks razed within 14 days in Joburg’s informal settlement

THE HEATING TIPS YOU NEED FOR WINTER

Take precautions and heat your home safely this winter with these tips:

• Heat your home safely. Keep anything that can burn at least 1 meter away from a heating source/ equipment like an electric heater, stove, or fireplace.
• Keep flammable materials at least one metre away from the heater.
• Turn heaters off when unattended and when you go to bed.
• Never use an oven or stovetop to heat your home.
• Have your heating system inspected annually.
• Never use a heater to heat food/ water or dry wet clothing.
• Place the heater so that it can’t be knocked over easily. Place your heater in an area that has little to no traffic to prevent knocks.
• Never move a heater while in use.
• Keep all children and pets at a safe distance from operating heaters.
• Never use or store flammable liquids or aerosols near a heater.
• Keep your heater in good, clean condition.

ALSO READ: Eskom tips on using a gas stove safely during loadshedding

WHAT TO AVOID UNATTENDED THE MOST

“The winter season has arrived and it is during this time that residents lose their lives due to fire incidents. Emergency Management Services urges communities to take necessary precautions when using heating appliances and avoid leaving candles unattended,” City of Joburg EMS spokesperson Nana Radebe-Kgiba reiterated.

ALSO READ: Tips to stay safe when Heating Your Home this Winter