Christmas is a time for celebrations, with many family and friends coming together to enjoy the festivities. But fairy lights, candles and decorations mean it is also a time to take extra care to keep loved ones safe from fire.
To ensure you have the merriest of Christmases, Jersey Fire and Rescue Service is urging Islanders to put fire safety at the top of their Christmas lists this year.
“Statistics show that that there is an increased risk of fire at Christmas, however by just following a few simple safety tips, you can make all the difference”, said Watch Commander Craig Channing.
Here’s our 12 days of Christmas fire safety tips to help you and your family enjoy Christmas safely:
- On the 1st day of Christmas – Decorations can burn easily. Don’t attach them to lights or heaters. If your dining table is decorated with candles keep napkins and paper hats away from them.
- On the 2nd day of Christmas – Never leave burning candles unattended and make sure you’ve put all candles out before going out or going to sleep.
- On the 3rd day of Christmas – Make sure your Christmas lights are in good working order and always switch them off before going out or going to sleep. Don’t let bulbs touch anything that can easily burn such as paper or fabrics. Never overload electrical sockets and adaptors and always check you have the right fuse to prevent overheating.
- On the 4th day of Christmas – If you have guests staying with you over Christmas, make sure they know the best way to get out in the case of a fire and that they know where the door and window keys are kept.
- On the 5th day of Christmas – Put your cigarette out, right out. Make sure your cigarette is fully extinguished and take care when under the influence of alcohol or tired. It’s very easy to fall asleep while your cigarette is still burning and set furniture alight.
- On the 6th day of Christmas – Never use heaters to dry clothes. Heaters can start fires when things are placed too close to them. Keep them well away from curtains, clothing, and furniture.
- On the 7th day of Christmas – Take the time to check on older relatives and neighbours as they are at greater risk from fire. The risk of a house fire increases in December because of decorations, cards, wrapping paper and trees. If you think of someone that would benefit from a free Home Fire Safety visit ring 445906 or email [email protected].
- On the 8th day of Christmas – Keep candles away from items that can burn easily, such as decorations, cards, Christmas trees and wrapping paper. Candles should be secured in a proper holder.
- On the 9th day of Christmas – Avoid cooking when under the influence of alcohol. Choose a safer alternative such as a takeaway, a sandwich, or a bowl of cereal. Never leave cooking unattended, a moment’s distraction is all it can take for a fire to break out.
- On the 10th day of Christmas – Never block doors that could be an escape route in the case of a fire. You may have to make room for lots of extra items in your home over the Christmas period, but don’t put items in front of doors.
- On the 11th day of Christmas – Never remove batteries from a working smoke alarm, even if Santa forgets to provide batteries for a new toy on Christmas Day. Never take the batteries out of your alarm or disconnect it if it goes off by mistake. All smoke alarms need to be tested regularly and given some routine maintenance. Push the ‘test’ button at least monthly.
- On the 12th day of Christmas –The colder weather brings its own menaces too. Take care when using portable heaters or open fires to keep warm.
Let’s do everything we can to make Christmas 2021 incident free and as safe as possible.
Jersey Fire and Rescue would like to wish everyone a happy and safe Christmas and a great New Year too!
