When it comes to planning ahead, fire officials don't believe you can ever do too much to prevent a fire. October is recognized as Fire Safety Month by the National Fire Protection Association.

Syracuse firefighters have been busy the last few weeks and are issuing some reminders on how we can stay safe. Syracuse Deputy Chief Elton Davis said one of the most important things we can do is make sure we have working smoke detectors in our home.

He said October is a great time of the year to check those and also take some other steps to keep our families safe.

Out of more than 2,000 emergency calls in September, about 650 were for fires, alarms, or smoke odors. With the cooler temperatures at night, we're reminded to be careful using space heaters and to keep them away from furniture and soft surfaces.

Davis said careless use of cigarettes and smoking materials are another common cause of a fire. Reports of unattended kitchen fires have also been more common as of late, while they can be prevented with an extra effort. ​

“If you're cooking, have a spatula with you, have an oven mitt with you. And, keep that on so if you have to step out of the kitchen to use the telephone or to attend to children, helping out with homework, things like that, while you're making dinner, you can look down and say, 'hey I have a spatula in my hand, I still have something on the stove.' So, that's one of our biggest causes," said Davis.

Davis said fire crews are always ready to help, but a little common sense can certainly help prevent a fire. Unfortunately, as the winter draws near, reports of fires generally increase.

The National Fire Protection Association recommends at least one working smoke detector should be on every level of your home particularly inside bedrooms or sleeping areas.

For more fire prevention tips, you can visit NFPA.org.