Kickoff To Fire Prevention Week

SIOUX FALLS, SD - The sight and smell of flames has been all too common lately in parts KELOLAND.

And with the recent fires in central Sioux Falls, the Fire Department is getting some extra help in solving them.

"The best thing for people to understand that as far as Sioux Falls is concerned we do bring a lot of different resources when we have suspicious fires with the string of fires we've had in the center portion of town," Sioux Falls Fire Marshall Dean Lanier said.

Some of those resources include the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms, as well as arson investigators.

And with this week being Fire Prevention Week, Lanier says the Fire Department will be taking extra steps to make sure people are taking extra precautions to keep flames out of their homes.

One of those precautions is to make sure you don't leave your kitchen unattended.

"Setting timers, staying in the kitchen and monitoring your cooking while you're in there, if you take those simple steps it can go a long ways to preventing fires from ever occuring in the first place," Lanier said. 

And with winter right around the corner, Lanier says that one of the topics they'll be touching on this week is how to properly heat your home and prevent fires while doing it.

"Not putting things like paper, cardboard boxes near space heaters, making sure fireplaces have a three foot area of clearance around them from things that could readily catch fire," Lanier said.

If you haven't had your heater inspected lately, Lanier also recommends doing that before putting it into use during the winter months. But with the fall getting off to a blazing start, these tips can be used all year long.