Fire Safety ramping up in the valley

The leaves are changing here in the San Joaquin Valley and cooler temperatures are approaching fast.
With cooler temperatures, many people will use space heaters to keep themselves warm.
Fresno County Cal Fire public information officer Gary Couch says having a space around your heater is important to stay safe.

“You want to make sure you have a three-foot clearance around them. Make sure nothing falls on them or they fall over, and make sure to turn them off when you leave the room,” said Couch.

Another tool to keep you safe this winter is smoke detectors.
Adam Klusener, manager at Ace Hardware in Clovis, says smoke detectors are a good tool in the house.

“It is important that you check that they function,” Klusener said. “A lot of people have older smoke alarms from years and years ago that don’t work and they don’t know it until it is too late. It is always good to test those on a regular basis.”

Students at Fresno State, especially those who live in the dorms, are aware of fire safety.

Kinesiology major Connor Wallace says being aware of fire dangers is important.

“My dad’s is in Cal Fire, so it makes it a little bit easier,” said Wallace. “Keep things away as much as possible. No metal, no paper anything of that such as cloth. Anything of that material.”