OTTUMWA, IOWA -- A rash number of mobile homes have caught fire in the Hawkeye state since the cold weather moved in.

A mobile home caught fire Saturday morning in Fayette County where three people lost their lives.

People normally use portable heating devices to keep warm during the winter months.

But before you flip that switch, make sure you have an escape plan in case things take a turn for the worse.

Ottumwa Fire Chief Tony Miller says the first thing you should do if your home catches on fire is to get out of the house and make sure that everyone else is out of the house.

"Have a meeting spot so that you will know if everyone is out of the house or not," said Miller. "Go to your neighbor's house and call 9-1-1 and then let us do our job."

You should not use a gas stove to heat a mobile home and never use an extension cord to power any heating device.

"Whatever they have for a heating system is what I would use," added Miller. "I would have it checked by a professional every year to make sure all of the parts are working correctly."

The Ottumwa Fire Department does not recommend the use of space heaters in mobile homes.