Fire officials urge winter safety preparations as temperatures drop

TWIN FALLS, Idaho (KMVT/KSVT) —As temperatures start dropping across the Magic Valley, fire officials say there are steps you should take now to keep your family safe before winter arrives.

The Twin Falls Fire Department says dirty furnaces trigger more false alarms than anything else. The dust inside gives off the smell of a structure fire, and officials recommend cleaning your furnaces before you turn on the heat for the season.

Another area they recommend cleaning is your chimney, and to keep space heaters away from anything flammable.

Driver and Operator Kody Lewin explains why they focus on these before a fire starts.

“A lot of people think that we’re reactive to a lot of calls, that we show up after incidents created, but one of our main priorities and focuses is being preventati