BATON ROUGE - The cold weather has arrived and as south Louisiana residents reach for their jackets and mugs of hot coffee, officials are also reminding them to keep a few safety suggestions in mind.

While braving the drop in temperatures, it may be helpful to:

-ensure that all fire alarms in your home are working

-space heaters should be plugged into electricity outlets that are on walls, NOT into power strips.

-avoid using a stove as a heater. Stoves are not meant to be on for long periods of time.

-avoid putting too much kindling or firewood in your fireplace

-never leave candles or open flames unattended

Click here for additional information related to cold weather safety.