CINCINNATI — With the incoming snow and cold temperatures, the possibility of power outages is a concern this weekend.
If you lose electricity, you may be tempted to do just about anything to keep your home warm. However, there are some risks to keep in mind.
We spoke to Lt. Darrell Bullock with the Cincinnati Fire Department (CFD) about the dos and don'ts if you lose power.
"You can buy a generator, but make sure that you know you're not supposed to put it inside the garage or inside the house anywhere," Bullock said.
Bullock said you can light candles for warmth and light, but he said you should keep an eye on them and blow them out if you leave the room for a prolonged period.
WATCH: We spoke to CFD about how to stay warm if you lose power this weekend
Bullock said under no circumstances should people turn on their stove or oven for warmth. He said that it can lead to carbon monoxide poisoning.
"That's a big no-no," Bullock said. "We're not going to do that. I can't tell you how many runs I've made over the years with people using their stove as a heating source to heat the house. I understand that it's cold outside, but trust me, it's very dangerous."
Some other ways to stay warm without power include blankets, handwarmers, feetwarmers, extra socks, extra pants and extra sweatshirts.
Bullock said if you still have power, it's okay to use a space heater, but he said to make sure nothing is within 3 feet of it.
Bullock told us he recommends being prepared for anything.
"You should have an escape route, a fire safety plan, in case something happens," Bullock said.
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We also spoke to Duke Energy spokesperson Matt Martin about how they're preparing for the possibility of power outages.
"Make sure that they have their phone fully charged, have full bottles of water and batteries in case they do experience an outage," Martin said.
Martin said if you're looking to save energy, some good practices include lowering your thermostat to the most comfortable setting and keeping your blinds open to allow sunlight in.
"We are staging our crews around the area across Ohio and Kentucky to make sure that we can quickly respond to outages when they occur, when it's safe to do so," Martin said.
Martin said to stay prepared and have plans in place in case an outage lasts longer than expected.
"Just know that we will be out responding, getting power back on if an outage occurs as soon as we can," Martin said.
You can keep track of Duke's power outage map online by clicking here.
