Winslow Township, N.J — Nov. 18 — With the cooler weather approaching, the Winslow Township Fire Department is releasing heating-safety guidelines to help prevent winter home fires. National records suggest that the majority of heating-related fires occur in December, January, and February.

Residents are asked to keep anything flammable at least three feet away from furnaces, fireplaces, wood stoves, and space heaters. Chimneys and heating systems should be inspected every year, and portable heaters should be turned off when leaving a room or going to bed. Working smoke and CO alarms are strongly advised to provide an early warning in the case of a fire or carbon monoxide buildup.