We have had a taste of winter this week and judging by the forecasts, we won’t be served a full plate of cold weather again for some time.

Should Old Man Winter decide to roar again, don’t let the attempt to stay warm and cozy lead to a tragedy, such as a fire. 

Nearly half of the families in the U.S. use space heaters, fireplaces or wood stoves to stay warm, according to the American Red Cross. But if used improperly, those alternative heating sources can be dangerous, the Red Cross warns. 

The Red Cross offers the following advice on avoiding a potentially serious situation:

• Never use a cooking range or oven to heat your home.

• Keep all potential sources of fuel such as paper, clothing, bedding, curtains or rugs at least three feet away from space heaters, stoves or fireplaces.

• Never leave portable heaters and fireplaces unattended.

• Turn off space heaters and make sure any embers in the fireplace are extinguished before going to bed or leaving home.

• Place space heater on a level, hard and nonflammable surface, such as a ceramic tile floor, not on rugs or carpets or near bedding or drapes.

• Keep children and pets away from space heaters.

• When buying a space heater, look for models that shut off automatically if the heater falls over.

• Keep fire in your fireplace by using a glass or metal fire screen large enough to catch sparks and rolling embers.

• Have wood and coal stoves, fireplaces, chimneys and furnaces professionally inspected and cleaned once a year.

• Check electrical appliances before you leave home. Do not leave food cooking on the stove. Blow out candles before going to bed. Do not overload electrical outlets. 

Another recommendation to follow is to have smoke alarms on each level of your house, along with placing them inside each bedroom and near all sleeping areas. Test each smoke alarm once a month. 

Hopefully, these tips can help you stay warm — and safe — during another winter’s chill.