The holidays should be a time of celebration but, unfortunately, they are also a time of increased risk for fire — and the majority of these incidents start with cooking, candles or Christmas trees.
Protect your family and your guests by following these simple safety tips.
Be prepared for any type of fire by ensuring that your home is protected by working smoke alarms and that everyone knows your home’s escape plan, including at least two ways out of every room and one meeting place outside.
Prevent cooking fires by staying in the kitchen whenever broiling, frying or grilling. Have a lid close by to smother the flames if fire breaks out. If the fire’s in the oven, turn it off and keep the door closed.
Keep combustibles away (including the cook’s sleeves) from the stove, and make a “kid-free” zone around the hot spots to protect little ones from scalding or other burns. Avoid candle fires by keeping the flames well clear of anything that could catch fire. Use sturdy non-combustible candle holders and snuff candles out before leaving the room or going to bed.
If you’re using a fresh tree, keep it well-watered and away from heat sources. Position it so it doesn’t block any exits.
Use only light strings that have the label of an independent testing laboratory, and follow the manufacturer’s directions to make sure you’re using them as safety as possible.
Child Car Seat Check: Be sure that your children are riding as safely as possible by attending our child car seat check on Dec. 8, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Paul T. Nichol headquarters fire station (26642 Miller Bay Road NE, near Kingston).
Holiday Open House: Drop by on Dec. 17, 5:30–7:30 p.m., to tell Santa about your holiday dreams, enjoy a cup of hot cocoa and some cookies, see the fire engine and share season’s greetings. But, in case you can’t make it on the 17th, we’ll take this opportunity to say: from our family to yours, our best wishes for a safe holiday season that’s filled with joy and love!
— Michèle Laboda is prevention/community services specialist and public information officer for North Kitsap Fire & Rescue. Contact her at laboda @nkfr.org.
