Firefighters are urging households in Cumbria to put festive
fire safety at the top of their Christmas list. Statistics show the
chances of dying in an accidental house fire increase by 50 per cent at
Christmas as the use of candles increases, lights and decorations are on
display and alcohol flows when people get into the festive spirit.So to help residents have a merry but safe Christmas, Cumbria County Council’s Fire & Rescue Service is issuing hints and tips for festive fire safety. The top tips for keeping safe from fire this Christmas are as follows:
- Ensure
you have a working smoke alarm installed on all levels of your home. Test
your smoke alarms weekly and never remove batteries.
- Never leave cooking unattended and avoid cooking while
under the influence of alcohol. The majority of fires start in the kitchen
so this is a high risk area. Always turn off kitchen appliances when you
have finished cooking.
- Never leave candles unattended. Keep decorations, cards
and wrapping paper away from candles, fires, lights and heaters.
- Ensure you switch off Christmas tree and fairy lights
and unplug them before you go to bed, or leave the house. Check your
lights conform to the British Standard (BS EN 60598).
- Always use an RCD (residual current device) on outdoor
electrical equipment. This safety device can save lives by instantly
switching off the power if there is a fault and can be found in any DIY
store.
- Don’t overload sockets – ensure only one plug per
socket. Always turn off plugs when they are not in use, except those that
are designed to be left on, like freezers.
- When dry, real Christmas trees can take less than a
minute to completely invelop a room in fire so it’s essential people with
real trees ensure that they keep the tree in a suitable stand that can be
kept topped up with water.
- Always use a fire guard on a real open fire to protect
against flying sparks and hot embers. Also make sure embers are properly
out before going to bed.
- Make sure cigarettes are extinguished properly and
never smoke in bed. Put it out, right out.
- Check on older relatives and neighbours this Christmas
to ensure their safety at this time of year.
- In the event of fire - get out, stay out and call 999.
Christmas
is a time of year for relaxing and spending time with friends and family but it
can easily turn to tragedy if potential fire hazards are ignored. Just
taking a few basic, common-sense precautions, is all that's needed though to
drastically reduce the fire risk and ensure the festive season passes off
safely.”
By targeting resources at fire prevention, Cumbria Fire & Rescue Service has brought about a major reduction in fire incidents across Cumbria in the last six years. In that time the number of fire incidents in the county has been reduced by 34 per cent and fire-related injuries by 69 per cent.
As a result, Cumbria Fire & Rescue Service is currently consulting on proposals for better reflecting current risk patterns and shaping the service to the dangers that actually exist. To have a say on the Fire Service budget proposals, and others within the council’s public consultation, visit www.cumbria.gov.uk/ourfuture or pick up a copy of the consultation document available in local libraries and other public buildings.
Valerie Ayre (Cumbria Fire & Rescue, Administrator, Cumbria)