After the blizzard: 5 tips to stay safe in your home this winter

In the aftermath of the blizzard, firefighters want to make sure you and your family members stay safe in your home. Here are five important tips for winter home safety, thanks to Montgomery County Fire Chief Scott Goldstein:

1. Clear outdoor vents from the house. If it gets clogged, your furnace may shut down--or it may function incorrectly, producing carbon monoxide.

2. Protect yourself from carbon monoxide poisoning with a carbon monoxide detector.

3. Make sure your smoke detectors are working. If they're not, call 311, and they'll take care of it.

4. Clean out your fireplace. Put the ashes in a metal can, and then put it away from the house. Cold ashes keep heat.

5. If you need to decrease fire on a stove, use a lid--not a fire extinguisher. Contain the fire by putting the lid on top of it instead.