Holiday Season Fire Safety Reminders

I usually blog about books.  Today I'm sharing Fire Safety Reminders for you to pass on.

A couple of weeks ago my clothes dryer stopped working.   The repairman showed me the excess accumulated lint in the bottom of the dryer (below the lint cage) that shorted out the fuse.  Good thing, too.  If the fuse hadn’t shorted out, it could have started a fire in the garage and burned down the house.  That was scary news. 

It’s horrible to see houses in neighborhoods burned down from garage fires.  That’s where most dryers, hot water heaters, and furnaces are located.  It’s also where many combustibles, such as paints, cleaners, and solvents are stored.  Garage fires can largely be prevented by keeping your appliances in good repair – clean and inspected -- and storing your combustibles away from heat sources.

We all know not to smoke in the house.  My dear Father fell asleep in his recliner with a lighted cigarette.  It fell to the floor and burned a hole in the rug.  Luckily, it was on concrete slab, so the fire didn’t go any further.  Four families lived in that complex, including children, the elderly, and beloved pets.  Coming so close to burning the house down scared my Dad into quitting smoking.  I hope you or a loved one won’t be at risk from anyone smoking.

Since the Holiday season is upon us, here are other home fire dangers.  Many love the ambiance of candlelight – scented candles help set the mood and relieve stress.  Don’t light them near anything that could catch fire, like curtains or on a shelf.  We have a blackened shelf from a scented candle.  Don’t burn colored foil wrapping paper – it can flash flame out of control due to chemicals.

Holiday lighting should be safe and controlled.  Don’t overload your outlets.  Use cool LED lights for lower electric bills and improved safety.  A lighted natural dried out Christmas tree can burn down a house in minutes.  Never leave tree lights on when not at home or when you go to bed.  Check wiring, outlets, and extension cords to ensure they’re in good repair and safe.

Do your Annual Smoke Alarm and Carbon Monoxide Detector Battery Replacement Check each Holiday season.  Ensure you have enough working Smoke Alarm/CO Detector units for your house.  Carbon Monoxide poisoning mimics flu-like symptoms, but is much deadlier.  Fire Extinguishers for kitchen and garage are vital for small fires you are able to contain yourself.

If you have pets, it may help to have Pet Alert signs to show pets are in the house.  We don’t want firefighters put at risk, but signs may help save your pet. 

Have a Family Fire Evacuation Plan and practice Fire Drills to save lives.

Please remind your family and friends to practice fire safety all year.