Christmas Fire Safety: Our Top Tips!
Last Christmas, there were 2834 accidental fires throughout homes in the UK. This statistic meant December had the most fires of any month in that year; an increase fire experts largely believed was due to the use of Christmas decorations and the occurrence of celebrations. Factors contributing to fires were mostly dry Christmas trees and a wealth of vibrant decorations, greeting cards and wrapped presents – all ignition accelerants which can add extra fuel to a fire.
These factors, combined with the presence of candles and fairy lights, are all potential fire hazards and, in order to ensure the safety of your family, must be carefully managed. Therefore, in order to ensure your Christmas is a time of joy, and not disaster, the professionals at City Fire have compiled their 5 top Christmas fire safety tips…
1. Take care when setting up fairy lights
Fire safety experts advise the public to always check the fuse type on your fairy lights before putting them up. The packaging they come in should contain information on the maximum fuse type appropriate and you should also ensure they comply with the BS EN 60598 British Standard – which should additionally be detailed on the fairy light’s packaging.
As you choose where to place your fairy lights it is crucial you thoroughly consider their location and think about any fire hazards which may be presented as a result. It is important to never place lights near flammable materials, including greetings cards, curtains, sofas and books, as these can accelerate a spark and cause a fire. It is also vital that you always switch off and unplug your lights before going to bed or leaving the house.
2. Safety considerations when putting up decorations
The majority of decorations are manufactured from highly flammable materials, such as paper, fabrics, wood and cardboard. Therefore, they can pose a significant fire threat and so should be positioned appropriately to remove this risk as much as possible. Fire safety specialists say you should never attach them to light fittings or heaters and that they should be placed far away from candles and other ignition sources. They also advise you to never put them above or around your fireplace.
3. Never overload plugs and sockets
Christmas is not only a strain on your pocket, it can also be a strain on your plugs as you use more electrical appliances than ever during the festivities. Fairy lights, electrically powered decorations and Christmas gadgets can result in a socket overload and the fire experts suggest this is one of the main causes of accidental fires during this time. They advise checking the wattage of each individual appliance before plugging them in and to never exceed the safety limit. They also suggest only ever using one plug per socket.
Additionally, another tip from the experts is to use an RCD (residual current device) when decorating the exterior of your home with outdoor lights. This safety device is available in all DIY stores and is an extremely useful protective measure as it can instantly cut off the power in the event of a fault.
4. Recognise the dangers of Christmas trees
Christmas trees – in particular real ones – can pose a significant fire safety threat, especially when allowed to dry out. A burning tree can rapidly fill a room with fire and toxic smoke so it is crucial that, if you are getting a fresh tree this year, you should keep it hydrated at all times.
One of the best ways of making sure your real tree is as new and fresh as possible is to thoroughly inspect the needles. The needles on freshly cut trees will be hard to pull off or break, compared to dried out trees which are often brittle and easily snapped.
Whether your tree is real or artificial it should never be placed near to ignition sources, such as fireplaces, ovens and light fittings, and special care should be taken when adorning it with decorations and fairy lights.
5. Undertake regular maintenance of your fire safety equipment
One of the most effective ways to protect your family and your home from the threat of fire over Christmas is to ensure you have fully functioning fire safety equipment installed. This includes things such as alarms and fire extinguishers and, in order to ensure they work as intended, they must be thoroughly serviced on a periodic basis.
Regular maintenance checks can either be done by yourself or you can hire the help of a specialist fire safety expert, such as the team down at City Fire. They will make sure your fire safety equipment is functioning flawlessly and, in the event that it isn’t, will perform remedial work as necessary, including brand new equipment installations.
So while we hope your Christmas is filled with family and friends and is as fun and festive as possible, we also ask that you take a moment to consider the safety of your Christmas decorations and adornments. Just a little extra care can be the difference between a Christmas disaster and a Christmas celebration – just follow our above tips to protect your home and loved ones! For more information on fire safety at Christmas, or to enquire about the servicing and installation of fire alarms and fire extinguishers, contact us today!
