6 Fire Safety Tips To Stop Your Christmas From Burning Down

We all know Christmas as a time for joy and celebration but it’s also a time when you have clusters of ornaments scattered around the house with the heating on full. As well as that is all the cooking that takes place, having the fireplace on full blast as you try to warm up with your bottle of Baileys. Things can easily go wrong in these circumstances, so the last thing you want is spoiling the fun from not being vigilant enough with your fire safety hazards.

In fact, more fatalities caused by accidental fires occur in December/January time and more fires are caused by accident during the Christmas period than any other time of the year. Here are a few ways you and your family can stay fire safe at Christmas:

1. Cooking – After presents, a large turkey dinner is the best thing at Christmas. Some start their prep a few days before the big day just to make sure everything goes to plan and tastes amazing. It makes us hungry just thinking about it! But with all of this food preparation comes a lot of danger. Having almost every cooking appliance in the house turned on along with the stress of getting everything right can lead to a major fire risk. Your mind is all over the place, the kids are running around the house, the carrots are starting to burn and the dog is after your stuffing that you’ve left on the counter. Always be aware of the appliances you are using, always be present in the room whilst you cook, keep children and tipsy guests away from the kitchen, do not cook whilst intoxicated yourself and make sure everything is turned off after using it!
2. Christmas Lights – They look pretty and add that extra Christmas characteristic to your home. But you shouldn’t be fooled by the sparkling lights as they are one of the most serious fire safety threats. You should always make sure the wiring off your lights is in good condition as well as making sure your lights have been tested by an approved testing laboratory. You should also try not to keep your Christmas lights on all the time as this will burn them out and overload the power socket.
3. Candles – Another cute and quaint Christmas decoration which we can’t seem to get enough off. Candles appose the greatest risk due to the open flame. All it takes is one of the kids to touch the flame or catch themselves on it or even have your ornaments set alight from flames being blown over into their direction and your set for a holiday disaster. To keep your family and friends safe please try to keep candles at a safe distance from children, pets and ornaments and don’t keep them burning for more than a few hours.
4. Fire Alarms – Something you should do on a regular basis anyway is check that your fire alarm systems and equipment are operating perfectly and are up to date. During the Christmas period is one of the essential times to make sure your systems are in tacked, just in case you do end up in one of the scenarios we have mentioned already in this list. Make sure your batteries in your systems are fully functional and if you have any fire blankets that they are in a good condition.
5. Christmas Trees – The most iconic decoration at Christmas has to be the tree. Whilst these can be beautiful they are also the fuel for many fires. Artificial trees are less likely to set a light, whilst real trees can often dry out and create an extra fire safety risk to your home. When buying your real Christmas tree, look for one which is green and fresh, to ensure it wont dry out any time soon. Also, don’t put your tree in a position where there is already a fire risk e.g. kitchen or by the fireplace in the living room. Somewhere in the corner of the room with no other ornaments or furnishings around it is the best setting for your tree.
6. Neighbours and Older Relatives – Many people are not as fire aware as others. After reading this blog, check on your neighbours or family members of an older age to make sure that they take the correct precaution that you are this Christmas season. It’s great keeping yourself and your guests safe in your own home but it’s also important to make sure that those around know what they are doing and keep themselves safe as well.