Holiday Fire Precautions

by Samantha Gleissner

As we approach the holiday season many people forget the dangers of fires; it’s rainy and cold and the chances of wildfires are heavily reduced. However, it is important to remember that you should never let your fire safety habits take a holiday, as there is a significantly increased risk of residential fires occurring whenever people start spending more time in the kitchen. Residential fires are not just a risk to the individuals responsible, but to neighbors and nearby buildings as well. If a fire starts in your oven or fryer, not only can it ruin your holiday, but it may also wind up costing you a lot of money, and I know nobody wants to have to dip into Christmas savings for Thanksgiving Day fire repairs!

You might be wondering, what are the main causes of Thanksgiving Day fires. Well, not surprisingly, according to National Fire Incident Reporting System (NFIRS) it is estimated that 69% of residential fires on Thanksgiving are cooking fires, which is a jump from the average 42% caused by cooking during the rest of the year. The other leader in Thanksgiving Day fires may not be as obvious, but 10% of Thanksgiving Day fires are caused by heating sources such as hearth fires and space heaters, so be careful to remind your guests to watch where they set flammable objects such as coats and shoes.

It is also important to realize what objects in your home may act as fuel sources; increasing your risks of a residential fire. Some of the items that have been noted as ignition points for residential fires are roofing and exterior trim, rugs and other flooring, wall and ceiling covers, and other highly combustible items within or exterior to the household depending on where you will be doing your cooking and heating. If you are going to have an outdoor Thanksgiving with a fryer or bonfire it is necessary to make sure you take the precautions of moving cooking equipment to a safe distance from any combustible items such as patio furniture, house siding, or vegetation that could catch fire. Whether you are indoors or out for your holiday it is also important never to leave cooking food, open flames, or heating elements unattended.

Another idea for a safe holiday would be to take some time prior to beginning your preparations to test all of your household smoke alarms and warning systems. If your smoke detectors batteries are low or dead, be sure to replace them before you start all your cooking. Smoke detectors can be a vital early warning should any cooking go awry and can help you and your family stay safe in the event of a holiday fire mishap. Something else that not everybody might consider is to be sure you have a method of extinguishing a fire should one occur. Many households have a fire extinguisher, but as a result of infrequent use, many people may not know where their extinguisher has been stashed or worse if it even still works. Be sure to check your extinguisher and follow the directions carefully. For your own peace of mind, take some time to familiarize yourself with the use instructions before you start your holiday preparations.

Many of these tips and safety ideas are little more than common sense, but so often when a fire mishap occurs it can be too late to consider what you have not done to get prepared. Since we all know that every second counts in a fire emergency, don’t put off taking some extra safety precautions this holiday season!

For more fire-safety tips, fire statistics, and safety ideas check out these links:

http://kbhr933.com/current-news/firewise-thanksgiving-day/

http://www.usfa.fema.gov/downloads/pdf/statistics/v11i5.pdf