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Don't invite disaster to your holiday celebrations

Your guests have departed, you've cleared away the dishes. Time to turn out the Christmas tree lights and go to bed. But have you forgotten something? What if one of your guests accidentally dropped a cigarette between the cushions on the couch, where it could smolder, undetected, for hours? The first you may know of it is when the smoke alarm shrieks its warning at 4 a.m. If you don't have a working smoke alarm, you may not wake up at all.

According to statistics from the Ontario Fire Marshal's Office, the number of fires and fire deaths typically rises sharply during the holiday season. Gatherings of family and friends can increase cooking, which causes most home fires. Alcohol consumption also tends to increase this time of year and contributes to many of Ontario's fire deaths. Add candles, holiday decorations and heating equipment to the mix and the potential for disaster is great.

Since 1980, the fire death rate in Ontario has dropped by more than 60 per cent. However, with 18 fire fatalities in December 2007 - almost twice the monthly average - the holiday season remains a perilous time of year. You can protect your home and your family from fire with these simple, common sense safety tips from the Ontario Fire Marshal's Office.

Cooking: Look while you cook...unattended cooking is the leading cause of kitchen fires. Wear tight-fitting sleeves or roll your sleeves up when you're cooking and keep all combustible materials a safe distance from the stove.

Alcohol: Cooking or smoking while under the influence of alcohol can be deadly. Keep a close eye on any drinkers in your household and make sure all cigarettes are properly out and the stove is off before going to bed.

Candles: Keep candles in a sturdy holder away from children, pets and combustible materials. Snuff them out before leaving the room.

Christmas trees: Buy a fresh tree and keep the base of the trunk in water at all times. Discard any broken or frayed sets of lights. Never place lit candles on or near the Christmas tree. When the tree starts to dry out,  throw it away.

Space heaters: Keep portable heaters at least one metre (three feet) away from anything that can burn - including you. Don't use your heaters to dry shoes or clothes.

Heating appliances: Remember to have a licenced technician inspect your furnace. Have your chimeny cleaned and inspected annually to prevent problems that may cause carbon monoxide to build up. A carbon monoxide alarm will alert you to the presence of this deadly gas.

Smoke alarms: Ontario law requires you to have working smoke alarms. Brampton Fire and Emergency Services recommends you install one on every level of your home and outside all sleeping areas. Test your alarms regularly and change the batteries at least once a year.

Home Escape Plan: If a fire does occur in your home, everyone must get out as quickly as possible. Develop a fire escape plan and practice it with your entire family.

Holiday fire deaths can be avoided, says Fire Marshal

In December 1999, the number of fire fatalities in Ontario was almost twice the monthly average, according to statistics collected by the Office of the Fire Marshal.

Last December, 18 people perished in home fires in Ontario...eight of them children.

Ontario recorded a total of 119 fire deaths in 1999.

Since 1980, the fire death rate in Ontario has dropped by more than 60%. However, to Fire Marshal Bernard Moyle, even a single fire death is one too many.

"It is totally unacceptable to me that people continue to die needlessly in fires in this province," said Mr. Moyle. "People must realize that fires are not accidents...they are overwhelmingly preventable. In 1999, Ontario recorded its lowest fire death rate ever, yet the statistics from last December clearly indicate there is still much work to be done."

Holiday celebrations often mean an increase in cooking, smoking and alcohol consumption...three of the leading contributors to fire.

Many fire deaths are caused by people attempting to cook or smoke while under the influence of alcohol. A lit cigarette dropped on the couch or a forgotten pan of grease on the stove is a common scenario encountered by fire investigators. Combine these activities with other hazards such as Christmas trees, fireplaces and candles, and the potential for disaster is great.

In some of last year's tragic fires, the homes were not equipped with smoke alarms, or the devices had missing or inoperative batteries. It is the law in Ontario that every home have working smoke alarms. The fire service advises you to install smoke alarms on every level of your home and outside sleeping areas.

The Fire Marshal recommends you follow these simple, fire safety practices to help ensure the safety of your family this holiday season.

• Install smoke alarms on every level of your home and outside sleeping areas. Remember to test them regularly.
• Keep a close eye on any smokers and drinkers in your household. Careless smoking, often combined with drinking, is the leading cause of fire deaths.
• Display your candles in a sturdy holder, away from pets and children. Make sure they are extinguished before leaving the room. The popularity of candles has risen dramatically over the past few years -as has the incidence of candle fires.
• Develop and practice a home fire escape plan. Does everyone in your household know at least two ways out?

CPSC Releases Holiday Safety Tips for Avoiding Fires and Injuries
(Information from the US Consumer Products Safety Commission)

WASHINGTON, D.C. - As the holidays approach, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) is urging people to look for and eliminate potential dangers from holiday lights and decorations that could lead to fires and injuries.

Each year, hospital emergency rooms treat about 8,700 people for injuries, such as falls, cuts and shocks, related to holiday lights, decorations and Christmas trees. In addition, Christmas trees are involved in about 400 fires annually, resulting in 20 deaths, 70 injuries and an average of more than $15 million in property loss and damage.

CPSC conducts surveillance of holiday lights and decorations at stores nationwide, and this year has prevented the import of 320,398 units of holiday lights that did not meet safety standards.

"Candle lighting ceremonies during Advent, Hanukkah and Kwanzaa are beautiful traditions," said CPSC Chairman Ann Brown. "But keep matches, lighters and candles away from children and never leave burning candles unattended. These simple safety tips will help prevent many of the 10,000 candle-related fires that occur each year. Stay safe this holiday season; it's the best gift you can give."

CPSC suggests following these tips to make your holiday a safe one.

Trees:

• When purchasing an artificial tree, look for the label "Fire Resistant." Although this label does not mean the tree won't catch fire, it does indicate the tree will resist burning and should extinguish quickly.
• When purchasing a live tree, check for freshness. A fresh tree is green, needles are hard to pull from branches and when bent between your fingers, needles do not break. The trunk butt of a fresh tree is sticky with resin, and when tapped on the ground, the tree should not lose many needles.
• When setting up a tree at home, place it away from fireplaces and radiators. Because heated rooms dry live trees out rapidly, be sure to keep the stand filled with water. Place the tree out of the way of traffic and do not block doorways.

Lights:

• Indoors or outside, use only lights that have been tested for safety by a recognized testing laboratory, which indicates conformance with safety standards.
• Check each set of lights, new or old, for broken or cracked sockets, frayed or bare wires, or loose connections, and throw out damaged sets.
• Use no more than three standard-size sets of lights per single extension cord.
• Never use electric lights on a metallic tree. The tree can become charged with electricity from faulty lights, and a person touching a branch could be electrocuted.
• Before using lights outdoors, check labels to be sure they have been certified for outdoor use.
• Fasten outdoor lights securely to trees, house walls, or other firm supports to protect the lights from wind damage. Use only insulated staples to hold strings in place, not nails or tacks. Or, run strings of lights through hooks (available at hardware stores).
• Turn off all lights when you go to bed or leave the house. The lights could short out and start a fire.
• For added electric shock protection, plug outdoor electric lights and decorations into circuits protected by ground fault circuit interrupters (GFCIs). Portable outdoor GFCIs can be purchased where electrical supplies are sold. GFCIs can be installed permanently to household circuits by a qualified electrician.

Decorations:

• Use only non-combustible or flame-resistant materials to trim a tree. Choose tinsel or artificial icicles of plastic or nonleaded metals. Leaded materials are hazardous if ingested by children.
• Never use lighted candles on a tree or near other evergreens. Always use non-flammable holders, and place candles where they will not be knocked down.
• In homes with small children, take special care to avoid decorations that are sharp or breakable, keep trimmings with small removable parts out of the reach of children to avoid the child swallowing or inhaling small pieces, and avoid trimmings that resemble candy or food that may tempt a child to eat them.
• Wear gloves to avoid eye and skin irritation while decorating with spun glass "angel hair." Follow container directions carefully to avoid lung irritation while decorating with artificial snow sprays.

Fireplaces:

• Use care with "fire salts," which produce colored flames when thrown on wood fires. They contain heavy metals that can cause intense gastrointestinal irritation and vomiting if eaten. Keep them away from children.
• Do not burn wrapping papers in the fireplace. A flash fire may result as wrappings ignite suddenly and burn intensely.

CPSC Holiday Decoration Tips

Trees
Many artificial trees are fire resistant. If you buy one, look for a statement specifying this protection.

A fresh tree will stay green longer and be less of a fire hazard than a dry tree. To check for freshness, remember:

• A fresh tree is green.
• Fresh needles are hard to pull from branches.
• When bent between your fingers, fresh needles do not break.
• The trunk butt of a fresh tree is sticky with resin.
• When the trunk of a tree is bounced on the ground, a shower of falling needles shows that tree is too dry.

Place tree away from fireplaces, radiators and other heat sources. Heated rooms dry trees out rapidly, creating fire hazards.

Cut off about two inches of the trunk to expose fresh wood for better water absorption. Trim away branches as necessary to set tree trunk in the base of a sturdy, water-holding stand with wide spread feet. Keep the stand filled with water while the tree is indoors.

Place the tree out of the way of traffic and do not block doorways. Use thin guy-wires to secure a large tree to walls or ceiling. These wires are almost invisible.

Snow

• Artificial snow sprays can irritate lungs if inhaled. To avoid injury, read container labels; follow directions carefully.

Lights

• Indoors or outside, use only lights that have been tested for safety. Identify these by the label from an independent testing laboratory.
• Check each set of lights, new or old, for broken or cracked sockets, frayed or bare wires, or loose connections. Discard damaged sets or repair them before using.
• Fasten outdoor lights securely to trees, house, walls or other firm support to protect from wind damage.
• Use no more than three standard-size sets of lights per single extension cord.
• Turn off all lights on trees and other decorations when you go to bed or leave the house. Lights could short and start a fire.
• Never use electric lights on a metallic tree. The tree can become charged with electricity from faulty lights, and any person touching a branch could be electrocuted! To avoid this danger, use colored spotlights above or beside a tree, never fastened onto it!
• Keep "bubbling" lights away from children. These lights with their bright colors and bubbling movement can tempt curious children to break candle-shaped glass, which can cut, and attempt to drink liquid, which contains a hazardous chemical.

Candles

• Never use lighted candles on a tree or near other evergreens.
• Always use non-flammable holders.
• Keep candles away from other decorations and wrapping paper.
• Place candles where they cannot be knocked down or blown over.

Trimmings

• Use only non-combustible or flame-resistant materials.
• Wear gloves while decorating with spun glass "angel hair" to avoid irritation to eyes and skin.
• Choose tinsel or artificial icicles or plastic or non-leaded metals. Leaded materials are hazardous if ingested by children.

In homes with small children, take special care to:

• Avoid decorations that are sharp or breakable.
• Keep trimmings with small removable parts out of the reach of children. Pieces could be swallowed or inhaled.
• Avoid trimmings that resemble candy or food. A child could eat them!

Fires

• Before lighting any fire, remove all greens, boughs, papers, and other decorations from fireplace area. Check to see that flue is open.
• Keep a screen before the fireplace all the time a fire is burning.
• Use care with "fire salts" which produce colored flames when thrown on wood fires. They contain heavy metals which can cause intense gastrointestinal irritation or vomiting if eaten. Keep away from children.

Paper

• When making paper decorations, look for materials labeled non-combustible or flame-resistant.
• Never place trimming near open flames or electrical connections.
• Remove all wrapping papers from tree and fireplace areas immediately after presents are opened.
• Do not burn papers in the fireplace. A flash fire may result as wrappings ignite suddenly and burn intensely.

General Rules for Holiday Safety

• Keep matches, lighters, and candles out of the reach of children.
• Avoid smoking near flammable decorations.
• Make an emergency plan to use if a fire breaks out anywhere in the home. See that each family member knows what to do. PRACTICE THE PLAN!
• Avoid wearing loose flowing clothes - particularly long, open sleeves - near open flames - such as those of a fireplace, stove, or candlelit table.
• Never burn candles near evergreens. Burning evergreens in the fireplace can also be hazardous. When dry, greens burn like tinder. Flames can flare out of control, and send sparks flying into a room, or up the chimney to ignite creosote deposits.
• Plan for safety. Remember, there is no substitute for common sense. Look for and eliminate potential danger spots near candles, fireplaces, trees, and/or electrical connections.