RELEASE — This holiday season, Kingston Fire & Rescue (KFR) is encouraging residents to put fire safety and prevention at the top of their list.
“There are many ways a home fire can start, but the culprit is often the same: distraction,” says Fire Inspector Del Blakney. “We get busy, we try to do too much, and we forget about the item we put in the oven or the candle we left burning. These small missteps are how tragedies happen.”
To avoid a home fire, and ensure your festive celebrations are merry and bright, KFR has assembled the top tips to follow:
- Be Mindful. Make sure your decorations aren’t creating a hazardous situation. For instance, do not leave candles burning unattended, decorative lights turned on indefinitely, and do not overload your outlets, which can overheat and start a fire. Enjoy the experience these decorations help create and then turn them off.
- Make Holiday Cooking a Family Activity. There is a lot going on during the holidays that can pull your attention in different directions but ifyou’re cooking, focus on that. Rather than rushing from your kitchen to another room to visit with family, invite them to join you.
- Don’t Take Needless Risks. Just like you wouldn’t get behind the wheel of a vehicle while intoxicated, do not set an open fire or cook if you’re inebriated.
- Spend Time with your Family. Watch a favourite movie, decorate cookies, and craft a home escape plan! It’s an important exercise to keep everyone in your home safe. When making your home escape plan, ensure that it includes two ways out of every room, steps for getting everyone outside (consider pets and people who may have limited mobility), and identify a safe meeting place where you can gather to call 9-1-1. Once the plan is in place, practice it!
“On behalf of the entire team at Kingston Fire & Rescue, I wish you a safe, and happy holiday season,” adds Fire Inspector Blakney.
Release: KFR via City of Kingston
Photo: Wikimedia Commons
