Christmas Holiday Fire Safety Tips
As the festivities are fast approaching, please keep the following suggestions in mind to minimize the risk of fires this holiday season. Your first step would be to ensure your smoke detector(s) are in good working order and that there is at least one per level of your home.
Kitchen fires, especially grease fires, are the top cause of house fires in Canada. As we’re all cooking more at this time of year please keep these tips in mind.
– suppress flames instead of dousing them (ie: using a lid)
– immediately switch off the heat
– on smaller low grease fires sprinkle baking soda over the fire ** DON’T use flour it can be explosive
– turn off the overhead fan, keeping it on could spread the fire
– never use water! As water & oil don’t mix, this will spread a grease fire faster
Christmas Trees, Decorations & Lights
Live Christmas trees are hazardous the longer they stay in your home. Be sure to keep your live tree watered, balanced & away from heat sources (ie: TV’s, fireplaces, heating ducts & windows).
Decorations & lights should be double-checked yearly to ensure they are not defective as some ornaments may come into contact with exposed wires and become shock hazards.
Candles & Fireplaces
Make sure candles and fireplaces are used under adult supervision and be sure to keep the areas near these clear of decorations, lights, stockings etc.
For an expanded list and more tips please click here to go to the ilscorp.com website.