Louisiana State Fire Marshal Butch Browning is sounding the alarm after there have been 15 fire fatalities across the state during January.
The last time Louisiana saw this level of loss of life to fire in the month of January was in 2018 when 20 people died in home fires.
Browning said there are some tips to keep in mind. He says winter is not over yet, and families need to be on alert. He said always place space heaters 3-5 feet from combustible objects like blankets and curtains, plug all heating appliances directly into wall outlets, not power strips or extension cords, do not use stoves or ovens to heat homes, and do not overfill fireplaces or wood-burning stoves.
But Browning said the most important step is making sure your smoke alarms are working.
He said the Operation Save-A-Life program partners with local fire departments to install smoke alarms for free for families in need.
Officials say to schedule the installation of a smoke detector through the program, contact your local fire department.
