Festive Fire Safety
The risk of a fire in the home increases at Christmas time, on both Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, so our Fire Safety Manager, Graham Hart, has put together a list of important safety tips to keep your family and your home safe this festive period.
- Make sure, that if you have one, you place your Christmas tree away from heat sources and curtains and furnishings.
- If you have a natural Christmas tree, be sure to keep it watered to prevent it from drying out as this poses a further fire risk.
- If you are using an extension cord, make sure it is fully uncoiled and do not overload it. They should not be placed under mats or rugs, or under the Christmas tree with all of your presents piled on top.
- If you are plugging your Christmas lights into an extension cord, you should only ever plug in three sets at a time.
- Always inspect your Christmas lights before putting them up, and do not continue to use them if they are faulty. You should also turn them off when leaving the house.
- You should never attempt to cook whilst under the influence of excessive alcohol, get all the cooking sorted before you start to unwind!
- Be aware and keep your decorations and Christmas cards away from heat sources such as candles or open fires.
- Make sure before you burn your candle that you have trimmed the wick and have removed any debris from the wax pool.
- Never leave a candle unattended and never use one as a nightlight, or to help you relax as you are trying to sleep, as you are likely to forget to extinguish it.
- Make sure candles are secured in a proper candle holder, as especially small tealights can get extremely hot on the bottom.
If you plan on using fireworks over the festive period, you can click here to read our Firework Code.