Northwest Iowa — The recent snow and ice has made it feel a lot more like Christmas and winter. But that reminds us that winter is coming for real, and with it, since we live in northwest Iowa, we can be sure bitterly cold temperatures are to follow.
These past couple of weeks, perhaps you’ve felt chilly around the edges in your house, and maybe you thought about plugging in a space heater or using some other source of supplemental heating. Northwest Iowa fire chiefs say that’s fine — as long as you keep safety in mind.
Sibley Fire Chief Ken Huls reminds us that space heaters take a lot of electricity.
Sheldon Fire Chief Brad Hindt says you should remember to plug them directly into an outlet on a circuit that can handle the load.
This is also the season when people put up Christmas lights and Christmas trees. Orange City Fire Chief Denny Vander Wel reminds you not to put too many strings together.
Vander Wel also reminds us that live trees take special care. Many people use artificial trees, but if yours is real, don’t forget to water it. And throw it out if it gets too dry. The last thing you want in your house is dry, ready-to-go kindling for a fire.
