“We typically see a rise in apartment and house fires this time of year due to the increased use of candles and space heaters," said Willis McCree, Executive Director of the American Red Cross of Dutchess County. "What particularly worries us this year is that rising energy prices may lead many families to look for alternative sources to heat their homes. More than ever before, everyone should take time to make their home as safe as possible. Families should plot and practice escape routes, and be ready to follow through on those plans if needed, to prevent tragedy from occurring."

Central Hudson Vice President of Corporate Communications and Community Relations Denise D. VanBuren echoed Red Cross concerns about safety during the winter heating season, and added that the holidays present special safety concerns. "As local residents decorate for the holidays, we encourage them to ensure that all decorations are UL-listed and to exercise extra caution when using extension cords; we also warn against overloading electrical outlets. No one wants to see one of the most festive times of the year marred by tragedy, but it happens far too often."

The Red Cross and Central Hudson offered the following safety tips:

• Be cautious with portable space heaters — During the months of December, January and February, heating equipment is the leading cause of home fires, according to the National Fire Prevention Association. About two-thirds of home heating fire deaths are caused by portable or fixed space heaters. Place space heaters at least three feet away from anything combustible, including wallpaper, bedding, clothing, pets, and people. Never leave space heaters operating when you are not in the room or when you go to bed. Don't leave children or pets unattended near space heaters, and be sure everyone knows that space heaters should never used to dry wet mittens or other clothing.
  
  
• Never use a kitchen stove or outdoor cooking grill for supplemental heat; they may produce a deadly build up of carbon monoxide gas.
  
  
• Use caution with candles — Keep candles away from combustible materials. Never leave children unattended in a room with lit candles, and be sure to keep candles, matches and lighters out of the reach of children. Never display lighted candles in windows or near exits. Do not use candles for lighting if electric service is interrupted. Use flashlights only.
  
  
• Keep fire extinguishers handy throughout your home — Get training from the fire department on how to use them. Consider installing other equipment, such as an automatic fire sprinkler system, in your home.
  
  
• Inspect fireplaces and wood stoves — Use a sturdy screen when burning fires. Burn only wood -- never burn paper or pine boughs. Have your chimney connections and flues inspected by a professional and cleaned if necessary prior to the start of every heating season. Be sure to have your furnace checked to ensure its proper operation.
  
  
• Use generators carefully — Never operate a portable generator inside your home, including the basement or garage. Do not hook up a generator directly to your home's wiring. The safest thing to do is to connect the equipment you want to power directly to the outlets on the generator. Connecting a cord from the generator to a point on the permanent wiring system and back feeding power to your home is extremely dangerous.
  
  
• Use clothing and blankets to build layers against the cold — Have extra blankets, scarves, hats, socks and sweaters on hand.
  
  
• Create a disaster supply kit — Get together lifesaving items in both your home and vehicle. Go to www.redcross.org for a list of materials.
  
  
• Make sure smoke alarms work properly — Replace batteries as necessary. Install a carbon monoxide detector in your home and office.
  
  
• Don't overload electrical outlets — Be careful of extension cords that present hazardous walkways.
  

"As a final reminder: in the wake of a tragedy, it's too late to learn the life-saving skills of first aid/CPR," McKee added, encouraging local residents to make such a training a part of their safety checklist.

Contact the local chapter for details, or visit them on line at www.RedCross.org. Additional energy management and safety tips are also available via Central Hudson's Web site by visiting www.CHEnergyGroup.com.