‘Tis the season to be jolly and ensure festive fire safety. Christmas time is a period where everything can get a little hectic at home it is also a time when the number of fire hazards increase.
Sadly, Christmas trees, decorations, candles and even the wrapping around gifts under the tree increase the risk of a fire starting or accelerating. In order to minimise the risks you should always be vigilant and think about the possible effect of, for instance leaving a lit candle unattended.
What should you do to keep as save as possible and enjoy your Christmas.
- Check your Christmas tree lights are in good condition and conform to the British Standard (BS EN 60598). If you find that the wiring or lights are damaged through them away.
- If you have lights on the outside make sure that they are suitable for outdoor use. Only ever use indoor lights indoors.
- If you do have outside lights or other electrical equipment, always use an RCD (residual current device). This is a safety device that can save lives by instantly switching off the power if there is a fault and can be bought in most DIY store.
- Make sure that the wiring and lights are not positioned near sources of heat or naked flames.
- Always switch Christmas lights off and unplug them before you go to bed.
- Check sockets regularly for changes – discolouration or melting due to overheating
- Don’t overload electrical sockets, only ever use one extension lead per socket outlet and never connect one extension to another extension lead.
- Never place candles near your Christmas tree or furnishings and don’t leave them burning unattended.
- Some Christmas decorations can burn easily – Don’t attach them to lights or heaters.
- If you have a real tree make sure it is kept watered – a dry tree will burn faster than a watered tree. A Christmas tree can, depending on it’s size, drink up to 2 pints of water a day. Put the tree in stand or container that will hold water and keep it topped up making sure that the lights can’t drop into the water.
- If you have an artificial Christmas tree, make sure it is fire-resistant. A flame-resistant tree will eventually burn but it will definitely take longer for the flames to catch and spread.
- Don’t place the Christmas tree or other objects in a position that will block or restrict an escape route in case of emergency.