With the low-temperature tonight in the mid-30s and tomorrow night (Saturday, October 7, 2023) expected to drop to freezing on the plateau, fire officials in Cumberland and Roane County want to pass on safety tips for staying warm:

• Always use working smoke alarms in your home. If you need working smoke alarms, contact your local fire department and ask if they participate in the “Get Alarmed, Tennessee!” free smoke alarm program
• Keep anything that can burn at least three feet away from heating equipment, like a furnace, fireplace, wood stove, or portable space heater.
• Have a three-foot “kid-free zone” around open fires and space heaters.
• Never use your oven to heat your home.
• Install wood-burning stoves following the manufacturer’s instructions or have a professional do the installation.
• If you have a fireplace, make sure it has a sturdy screen to stop sparks from flying into the room. Ashes should be cool before putting them in a metal container. Keep the container a safe distance away from your home.
• Remember to turn portable heaters off when leaving the room or going to bed.

The cold blast will be a short one as temperatures will go back to the lower to mid 40s on the plateau for the first part of next week.