RURAL METRO FIRE DEPARTMENT
January 6, 2009
FOR
IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Billy Kear
Fire
Prevention Officer
Rural Metro Fire Department
&
Knox County Fire Bureau
865-256-6409
The first
fire of the New Year caused by heating a dog’s bed
A heat lamp being used to keep a dog’s bed warm ignited a fire that damaged a Knox County
home earlier this month according to the Knox County Fire Prevention Bureau. Rural Metro Fire Department and the Knox County
Fire Prevention Bureau remind citizens to consider the risk of fire when using lamps as heating devices. Rural Metro Fire Prevention
Officer Billy Kear says, “A heat lamp can catch bedding on fire and often no one realizes there’s a problem until
it’s too late. We are starting to see an increase in heating lamp fires in animal sleeping areas around Knox County.
Kear suggested that animal caregivers
consider blankets or covers, rather than the heating devices. While working with the Knox County Fire Investigation
Unit, Kear says the fire cause appears to be the clamps which hold the heat lamps in place. When the clamps
fail, the heat lamp falls on to combustible material and ignites a fire. Research shows numerous fires similar to this Knox County fire being reported across the United States. Kear reminds
the citizens of Knox County to practice home fire safety and be cautious with any portable heating device. A
good rule of thumb is to keep any portable heating device at least 3 feet away from anything that can burn.
Install smoke
alarms inside and outside each sleeping area, right outside the kitchen, and on each level of your home.
* Test
smoke alarms once a month by pushing the test button on each alarm. If it does not work, replace the battery and test again.
