Christmas is a wonderful time of year when the family gets together, but unfortunately, it's also a time where we see an increased risk of fires in the home. With Christmas lights hung from the tree, a cosy fire in the hearth and a Christmas dinner cooking in the kitchen, there are a lot of opportunities for an accidental fire to start... especially if you've had a few drinks! Here are some harrowing statistics from the National Accident Helpline that put things into perspective:
- More than 500,000 people have had a fire-related accident in the home
- Roughly 1,000 people are injured by their Christmas tree every year
- Christmas tree lights injure nearly 350 people annually
- 50% of fire-related deaths occur over Christmas
- 16.7% of fire deaths in 2010 occurred in December
- 26 people died between 1997 and 2010 in the UK of electrocution while watering their Christmas tree with the lights on
As you can see, there is a real risk of house fires during the Christmas period, so it's important that you take precautions to keep your family safe. Here are a few things you can do to prevent a house fire in your home this Christmas.
1. Switch unattended Christmas lights off
2. Don't use Christmas lights with frayed or damaged cables
3. Move candles away from the Christmas tree, presents, wrapping paper & soft furnishings
4. Keep an eye on children, especially if they're near the fire, candles or the Christmas tree
5. Never hang decorations off lights, radiators or other heat sources
6. Don't be tempted to overload electrical sockets
7. Check that the cooker is switched off after you cook your Christmas dinner
Most importantly, ensure your fire alarm is working!
If there's one thing you take away from this blog, we implore you to check that your fire alarm is working this Christmas period. Your fire alarm should be checked year-round to ensure it's operating properly, otherwise, you could find yourself in a sticky situation if a fire occurred.
If you don't already have a fire alarm system in your home, we can help you. We build, install and maintain fire alarm systems in both residential and commercial properties. Find out more about our fire alarms below.
Fire Alarms from IDS Security >
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