One after another, the reports have been piling up.

On Thursday in Shadyside, two dogs and a cat died in a house fire that also caused extensive damage to the home. The human residents were not there at the time. Otherwise, the outcome could have been even more tragic.

A few days earlier on Tuesday, Hopedale was the site of a structure fire. This blaze also claimed the lives of two cats, but the homeowner and their dog managed to escape.

The day before, a vacant Bellaire home was destroyed by flames. Although it was not occupied, the owner said it was connected to electrical service.

All of these incidents remain under investigation. It is likely the causes of these fires will vary once the probes are complete. But regardless of how and where these blazes started, the fact of the matter is that dangerous — or even deadly — structure fires become much more common during the winter months.

That is why each and every one of us must take steps to guard against them.

Now is the perfect time to think about fire safety. If you and your family don’t have a plan on how to escape form your home in the event of a fire, make one — today.

While you are at it, be sure to designate a meeting spot where everyone can gather if you need to evacuate your home. This will help to ensure that everyone is accounted for and that nobody runs back into your burning home to search for a family member they can’t locate.

After that step is complete, take stock of the items in your home and how you use them. What type of heating appliances do you use? If they include space heaters, do you really know how to use them safely? Are you certain to turn them off each and every time you lie down to sleep or leave your house?

Make sure you have smoke detectors on every level of your home. And ensure they work properly and have fresh batteries on a regular basis.

These steps are just the start. Visit a resource such as the National Safety Council at nsc.org to learn more.