KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WATE) — It’s that time of year when everyone is looking for a little extra warmth, especially those who are sleeping in campers. Firefighters say that you need to be extra vigilant when using portable heaters.

“What we see oftentimes is space heaters being used on extension cords,” the Assistant Chief of Knoxville Fire Department said.

The use of extension cords can lead to the electrical system overheating and ultimately causing a fire. Propane is also commonly used in many campers and RVs to help keep things running like stove tops and water heaters. These propane hookups need to be properly cleaned and serviced as often as possible.

“There are many professional organizations out there that have a lot of things on their websites about what to do,” Wilbanks said. “The biggest thing is to get a professional to come out and take a look at the RV and make sure that everything is properly serviced.”

You also need to make sure that there is at least one working smoke alarm and carbon monoxide detectors are a must when using propane in any capacity in an RV or camper. It is always a good idea to have at least one fire extinguisher on hand as well.

“There are some regulations from the Department of Transportation that are based on the type of RV it is and things like that,” Wilbanks said. “As far as ones that are parked out on private property there’s not a lot of additional regulations.”

Wilbanks added that there are some county codes that may affect camping on private property like how close campers are parked to a home and what type of electricity is being used.