Berryton, KS Holiday Safety and Preparation

11/12/2021 (Permalink)

Lights, candles, action – it’s the holiday season again. Brightly lit decorations, elaborate meals and large gatherings are all part of traditional holiday celebrations. Unfortunately, these seasonal traditions also cause an average of 230 home fires each year, with an average of 4 deaths, 21 injuries and $17.3 million in property damage.

East Topeka Homeowners can keep their homes and their family’s safe during the holiday season by understanding the dangers and taking some simple, commonsense precautions.

Holiday Cooking Fire Facts

• Thanksgiving Day has three times the average number of reported home structure fires involving cooking equipment. The two other peak days for cooking-related fires are Christmas Day and Christmas Eve.

Holiday Cooking Safety Tips

• Supervise items on the stove top. Fifty-eight percent of kitchen fires involve ranges: homes with electric cooktops have a higher risk of fire than homes with gas cook tops.
• Keep flammable items – potholders, packaging, wrapping, wooden utensils, loose clothing – away from the stove top.
• Don’t let lack of sleep or alcohol consumption affect your ability to concentrate on preparing the meal.

Holiday Decorating Fire Facts

• Half of all holiday decoration fires start because the decoration is too close to a heat source.
• On average, 32 candle fires are reported each day. December is the peak month for candle fires.

Holiday Decorating Safety Tips

• Keep all decorations away from heat sources like radiators, portable heaters, and fireplaces.
• Use flameless candles.
• If you do use traditional candles, burn them in sturdy candle holders, well away from drapes and other flammable materials. Never leave them unattended and never allow them to burn down to less than once inch in length.

Christmas tree Fire Facts

• 50% of live tree fires occur between December 22 and January 5.
• 31% of tree fires are caused by electrical problems.
• 14% involve decorative lights.

Christmas tree Safety Tips

• Keep live trees well watered to reduce the chance of a fire.
• Check wiring on lights for breaks and wear, replace worn strings and don’t exceed manufacturer guidelines for connecting multiple strands of lights.
• Don’t leave tree lights plugged in when you are away from home or asleep.

For more fire prevention tips and information about fire and water damage restoration services, contact SERVPRO of East Topeka at 785-220-7147.

Statistics used are based on National Fire Protection Association data