Tis the Season… for increased fire safety!
When the holidays come around each year, we take the opportunity to remind our readers of the countless hazards that can come during the most wonderful time of the year. We don’t mean to sound like the grinch. In fact, we love this time of year and want to ensure you are able to enjoy the holidays safely.
As Springfield Ohio’s fire restoration experts, we’ve seen firsthand how quickly a house fire can ruin the holiday season. Don’t let this year go down in your family history book as the year the house caught on fire. Take a moment to read through our reminders of the most common causes of house fires around the holidays.
Cooking in the Kitchen
With the holidays comes food and a lot of it! From brunches and potlucks to dinner feasts and cookie baking, your kitchen is most likely going to be a busy place for the next several weeks.
During this chaotic time it’s best to keep your kitchen free of clutter, especially items like towels or cardboard and packaging.
A good rule of thumb is to never leave your kitchen unattended when cooking. Abandoning a pot on the stove or an oven full of turkey could lead to a rapidly spreading fire.
Keeping Warm
We all want to be cozy and warm this time of year. It’s time to start up the fireplace, plug in the space heater, cuddle under the electric blanket, and crank up the heat. But please do so with caution.
Be sure not to overload electrical outlets with more than two plugs. Extension cords should be used with caution and never used with a space heater or electric blanket. And always use proper safety measures when lighting a fire in your fireplace. Monitor the fire regularly and be sure to keep flammable objects a safe distance away.
Decking the Halls
Decorations help us get into the holiday spirit! Just make sure to consider fire safety when doing so. A Christmas tree will introduce many hazards into your home. It will be important to keep your tree hydrated by checking the water daily. If it becomes too dry it will be much more of a fire risk. When positioning your tree, make sure to keep it at least 3 feet from heat sources, including vents, fireplaces, or space heaters.
Other items can be risky too. Candles should never be lit in unattended rooms and presents should also be piled far from any heat sources.
We hope you and your loved ones have a happy (and safe) holiday season!