As temperatures drop in the American Red Cross urges families to take several steps to heat their home safely. Overall, home fires account for most of the 60,000-plus disasters that the Red Cross responds to each year — and home fire responses are 30% higher during cold months than warmer times of year. According to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), space heaters are most often responsible for home heating fires. Follow these tips on how to safely heat your home:

• If you must use a space heater, never leave it unattended. Place it on a level, hard and nonflammable surface, such as a ceramic tile floor. Don’t place it on rugs and carpets, or near bedding and drapes.

• Plug space heater power cords directly into outlets — never into an extension cord. Turn the space heater off every time you leave the room or go to sleep.

• Keep children, pets and anything that can burn at least three feet away from heating equipment.

• Never use a cooking range or oven to heat your home.

• Never leave a fire burning in the fireplace unattended. Make sure any embers in the fireplace are extinguished before going to bed or leaving home. Use a glass or metal fire screen to keep embers in the fireplace.

• Have furnaces, chimneys, fireplaces, wood and coal stoves inspected annually by a professional and cleaned if necessary.

If you or someone you know needs assistance after a home fire or local disaster, please call 800-Red Cross.