Use portable heaters in well-ventilated rooms only. Refuel kerosene heaters outdoors only. Have chimneys and wood stoves cleaned annually. Buy only approved heaters and follow the manufacturers' directions. Smoke Detectors Smoke detectors more than double the chance of surviving a fire.
Smoke detectors sense abnormal amounts of smoke or invisible combustion gases in the air.
They can detect both smoldering and burning fires. At least one smoke detector should be installed on every level of a structure. Test the smoke detectors each month and replace the batteries at least once a year. The U.S. Fire Administration has more information on fire safety and firefighting.