Winter Home Fire Prevention Tips
Cold weather brings cozy nights, warm fires, and extra time spent indoors—but it also brings a spike in home fires. As heating systems, holiday décor, and electrical use increase, so does the risk. Here are essential winter fire prevention tips to help keep your home and family safe:
1. Heat Your Home Safely
- Keep space heaters at least three feet from anything that can burn—furniture, curtains, blankets, and décor.
- Plug heaters directly into wall outlets, not power strips or extension cords.
- Turn off heaters when leaving the room or going to bed.
- Have chimneys and wood stoves inspected annually to prevent creosote buildup.
- Use a fireplace screen to catch flying embers.
2. Maintain Furnaces & HVAC Systems
- Schedule a yearly furnace inspection to ensure safe operation.
- Replace filters regularly to avoid overheating or airflow issues.
- Keep flammable items away from the furnace or hot surfaces.
3. Be Smart With Holiday Lighting
- Inspect holiday lights for frayed cords, damaged plugs, or broken bulbs.
- Avoid overloading electrical outlets.
- Use indoor lights indoors and outdoor lights outdoors—they’re not interchangeable.
- Turn off all holiday lights before bed or when leaving home.
4. Candle Safety
- Use sturdy candle holders and place candles at least one foot away from anything that can burn.
- Never leave burning candles unattended.
- Consider flameless, battery-powered alternatives for worry-free ambiance.
5. Cook With Care
- Stay in the kitchen when cooking on the stovetop.
- Keep flammable items—towels, pot holders, packaging—away from heat sources.
- Keep a lid nearby to smother small grease fires.
6. Check Smoke & Carbon Monoxide Alarms
- Install smoke alarms on every level of your home and in each bedroom.
- Test alarms monthly.
- Replace batteries twice a year and replace the entire unit every 10 years.
- Install carbon monoxide detectors, especially near sleeping areas.
7. Practice Safe Fireplace & Wood Stove Use
- Burn only dry, seasoned wood.
- Store ashes in a metal container, with a lid, outside and away from the home.
- Never use gasoline, kerosene, or other flammable liquids to start a fire.
8. Use Generators Properly
- Never run a generator inside the home, garage, or any enclosed space.
- Place portable generators at least 20 feet away from windows, doors, and vents.
9. Create and Practice an Escape Plan
- Make sure everyone in the home knows two ways out of each room.
- Establish a family meeting spot outside.
- Practice your escape plan regularly.
A Safer Winter Starts With Prevention
Winter may bring cold temperatures, but a little preparation can keep danger at bay. By staying mindful of heating equipment, electrical safety, and regular maintenance, families can enjoy the season knowing they’ve taken steps to prevent home fires.
Kane Archer Breaks School Passing Record
It has been since the Semi-Finals in 1998 when then senior Brooks Coatney stamped his name in the school record book with 10,075 yards. Kane Archer has surpassed the record in the Semi-Finals against Benton. Coatney was in the stands to watch his son Cruz Coatney, who moved to Greenwood in the off-season.
It is a part of a long list of accomplishments for the 2026 Quarterback, and a perfect bookend to his career at Smith-Robinson Stadium. What started with a Hail Mary against Northside and defeating Pulaski Academy weeks later in 2022, has culminated into one of the arguably best Arkansas large classification high school football careers. While detractors will remain vocal in comment sections. What Kane Archer accomplished in his four years on Varsity, only a few come close to 10,000 yards passing and nearly 3,000 yards rushing in a career.
This year he crossed the one hundred passing touchdown and fifty rushing touchdown mark and is on path to set sign his name in the National Record books for career completion percentage. According to Barclay Almanac author Leland Barclay, what Archer has accomplished this year has been unheard of in all of Arkansas High School football.
The University of Utah commit, could leave Greenwood as the most decorated Quarterback, adding his name to the list with the likes of Daniel Stegall, Tyler Wilson, Jabe Burgess, Connor Noland, and Peyton Holt. All of whom set the standard of Greenwood QB’s. Archer is on pace to being a back-to-back Arkansas Gatorade and MaxPreps Player of the Year.
Archer unofficially finished the night with 253 yards passing to put him at 10,200 for his career, with now one game left.
“I could not do it without the guys around me, the guys up front that I’ve had. The play callers and everybody.” Kane Archer said following the game. “I’m extremely grateful to be put in the position that I’m put in. So credit to everybody else.”
Mansfield Football Full Of Undefeated Thankfulness
Thanksgiving Day is a day of thankfulness for all of the family, food, and blessings that the good Lord has given us each year. While we should be thankful for these things on a daily basis, Thanksgiving is a day that we can plan ahead to have everyone together. People are presented with a bounty of pies, turkey, pies, casserole, pies, rolls, pies, and practice. Practice? Where does practice come into play? They say an army runs on its stomach and with the Tigers quarterfinal battle against Bismarck coming tomorrow night, they’ll need to be fed well. But they’ll also need some extra practice, some Thanksgiving practice.
Before 2023, practicing on Thanksgiving for the Mansfield football program consisted of doing curls with a fork or running routes for seconds at the desert table. But this year marks the third consecutive season that the Tigers have been blessed to wake up early and hit the field. Pajama bottoms and hoodies took the place of girdles and jerseys while the players laughed around during stretches. But when the whistle blew, everyone knew it was time to get serious. With the practice being open to the public, parents and fans gathered to watch from the bleachers as Mansfield polished up on their Friday game plan.
What’s a Thanksgiving anything without food though? Down by the concession stand stood a handful of parents and volunteers were whipping up some fried eggs, bacon, and other breakfast foods for a post-practice feast. The smell circled the field, teasing the players with every snap. There was a catch though. Thursday practices are deemed “perfect practice” by the coaching staff. So to get their hands on the delectable, mouthwatering food sooner, the Tigers would have to live up to the perfect practice title. Hungry teenage boys will go to the ends of the earth for a good hot meal and they proceeded to make the perfect practice finish quickly with minimal flaws.
Once the players called it up and headed to the wet endzone to eat, the coaches showed their focus remained solely on tomorrow nights game. Skipping out on breakfast, the Tigers coaching staff began grabbing paint cans and proceeded to paint the field. Even with all of the film sessions, playbook studying, and preparation for the big game that led up to this Thanksgiving practice, the coaches still were working on making everything perfect for their players down to each blade of grass.
Acts 2:26 states, “They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts”. On this Thanksgiving Day, everyone pitched in and did their part. Coaches worked the practice and field, the players practiced hard, and fans came out to feed and support their Tigers. They all ate together with glad and sincere hearts giving thanks for all of the blessings the good Lord has given them this season. The Mansfield football program as a whole has become more than just a game; it has become a beacon of success thanks to the coaches, players, and volunteers who have put in the work to put the program in the light. For that, the entire Mansfield community is forever grateful. Now, go get yourself some pie !!!
