Have A Fire Free Holiday

During the fall and winter months , people are much more likely to experience a house fire than during the warmer parts of the year. Why? First, in most areas of the country, space heaters, furnaces, radiators, fireplaces and woodburning stoves are used during this time. Also, people tend to light candles for the winter holidays and other family gatherings. Finally, in many areas, the winter air is drier than the humid summer air, which lends itself well to an increased risk of fire. The good thing about house fires is that they’re preventable in many cases. Here are some things that you can do to prevent a house fire:

Thanksgiving, Christmas and Hanukkah are wonderful times to enjoy special foods with our loved ones. When you’re not used to having every burner on the stove going at the same time, however, all of the extra cooking can contribute to a house fire. Be sure to turn burners off when you are not using them, and keep potholders, dishtowels and other flammable items away from lit burners. Use timers to avoid burning foods, and know what to do if a greasy pan should catch on fire: Never throw water on a grease fire; instead, smother the flames with the lid of a pot, throw baking soda on it, or use an approved fire extinguisher to douse the flame.

With the shorter days, many of us bring extra light into our living spaces. There is also the Christmas tree or electric menorah to account for, as well as electrical appliances that visiting family and friends may tote along. Use caution when using extension cords and power strips; you don’t want to plug too many items into the same outlet or circuit. If a circuit trips, check to see what you have plugged in before you reset it. Also, if any appliances or light sparks, smokes or gives you any other indication that it’s not working properly, unplug it immediately and don’t use it again until you can have it serviced. Be careful not to run cords under rugs, and don’t leave loose cords where a pet or small child might play or chew on them.

Many of the celebrations that take place this time of year depend on candles. Make sure to properly and fully extinguish all candles; a candle-snuffer is safer than blowing out a candle, because the latter can spread little sparks that might smolder an ignite later. Keep candles off of low tables when you have small children or pets in the room, and don’t forget to blow (or snuff) out candles before leaving the house or going to bed.

You should periodically have your heating system looked over by a professional. The frequency depends on the type of heater. For example, chimneys, fireplaces and woodburning stoves should be inspected yearly. If you have an oil or gas-burning furnace, consider how old it is as well as where it is operating. If you are running a new (less than ten years old) furnace in a clean basement, then an inspection every three years or so might be adequate. If it’s older than that, or if your cellar is very dusty, it’s safest to stick to the once-per-year frequency that is recommended for fireplaces and chimneys.

Keeping your family and home safe from fire relies mostly on prevention. You should also make sure that you have working smoke detectors and a fire extinguisher, as well. The small amount of time, effort and money that fire safety requires is well worth it, because it might end up saving your home or the lives of your family.