We wish you a holiday season that is full of light, laughter and love. In that spirit, we offer the following safety tips to help you ensure that your family’s holiday isn’t marred by tragedy.
– First, make sure your home is protected with working smoke alarms to double your chances of surviving a fire. Use the “test” button to check. Consider replacing any smoke alarms that are more than 10 years old. If you think you don’t have enough of these important devices, call us at 297-3619 for an appointment to have more installed.
– Plan your family’s fire escape and share it with guests so they’ll also know two ways out of every room as well as where to meet outside in the event of a fire.
Avoid the most common holiday fire causes:
– If choosing a fresh tree or greens, select the freshest possible. Keep them well-hydrated and away from heat sources. Remove promptly from the home when trees or greens become dry.
– Follow manufacturer’s instructions when using holiday lights. Avoid overloading electrical cords or circuits. It’s dangerous to run cords across traffic areas or through doors and windows where they can be damaged. Use clips instead of staples or nails to install light strings, and always unplug them before leaving home or going to bed.
– Unattended cooking is the leading cause of fires year-round. Prevent these incidents by staying in the kitchen whenever you’re creating your holiday meals on the stovetop.
– Candles spark more fires during this season than at any other time of the year. We’d prefer it if you avoided candles, but if you use them, make sure that they’re positioned in sturdy stands away from anything else than can burn. Blow them out before leaving the room or heading to bed.
Keep your family safe from preventable injuries:
– Use care when putting up decorations; place them clear of traffic areas. Nearly 6,000 people are treated in emergency rooms every year for trips or falls associated with holiday décor.
– Remind visitors, who may be unaccustomed to having kids around, to keep matches, lighters, weapons and medications out of children’s reach. Consider the accessibility of dangerous items when your family visits others’ homes too.
– Make sure that everyone is properly restrained when riding in the car. Unrestrained persons, pets or cargo can be the cause of serious injuries in collisions. Come to our monthly child car seat check on Dec. 10, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., at the Paul T. Nichol headquarters fire station, 26642 Miller Bay Road NE, near Kingston.
Give a gift of safety:
– If someone is receiving a bicycle, scooter, skates or skateboard, contact us to get a gift certificate for a custom-fit helmet.
– Fire-escape ladders are available at most variety, hardware and home improvement stores.
– Help loved ones start their disaster-preparedness kit with battery-operated or hand-crank flashlights, hand-crank radio, etc. Get a complete list of supplies at www.kitsapdem.org.
In addition to escorting Santa to community events during the holiday season, we will also host him at the headquarters fire station Dec. 12, 6-7:30 p.m. Bring the family down to enjoy some refreshments, see the fire engine and share your seasonal wishes with Santa.
From our families to yours, happy holidays!
