Fire Prevention Tips During the Halloween Season

Fire Prevention Tips During the Halloween Season

One I learned in kindergarten: Trick or treat, smell my feet, give me something good to eat, if you don’t, I don’t care, I’ll pull down your underwear! My gosh, now-a-days if a kid said that harmless old phrase, it would probably make national news. Well, maybe not national news, but a walk to the principal’s office.

Halloween was always my favorite holiday. I loved the fact that one day a year, I was able to dress/pretend that I was Ariel or during my ‘I want to do what my older brother is doing,’ a Power Ranger.  The excessive candy wasn’t bad either, until it was ruined by the media scaring parents with news that people were putting razor blades in the candy.  What is wrong with this world? 

Unfortunately, the tragedies do not end there; Halloween is also known for increasing number of house fires.

Halloween fire facts - According to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA)

• ·     From 2013-2017, an average of 780 home structure fires began with decorations per year. More than two of every five (44%) of these fires occurred because the decorations were too close to a heat source, such as a candle or hot equipment.
• ·    More than one-third (37%) of these fires were started by candles.
• ·     One-fifth (21%) of the decoration fires started in the kitchen; 16% began in the living room.

To help you enjoy a safer holiday, follow these important Halloween safety tips from the experts at Savage Restoration.

PUMPKIN SAFETY

One tradition I loved as a child was creating the perfect jack-o-lantern. I don’t know if it was more the creation or squishing the gooey pumpkin seeds with my hands that I loved best. Once my ‘work-of-art’, which was sloppy at best was complete, we would illuminate the front porch with a burning candle. Not Okay!   Placing candles inside a cleaned-out pumpkin is a fire hazard. In fact, any lit candle left unattended is a Halloween fire hazard. If they’re inside pumpkins, they can tip over, ignite surrounding materials and cause a fire. To stay safe, use a battery-operated candle or LED light to illuminate your festive pumpkins.

INDOOR AND OUTDOOR DECORATIONS

Some of you fortunate people can have hay bales and corn stalks in or around your home.  I leave that story for another blog.  These items can be very dangerous if left near any heat source.  Hay bales and corns stalks are very dry materials and will ignite faster than most other materials.  To protect your home from a fire, keep these decorations away from any kind of heat source, including fireplaces, wood-burning stoves, candles and outdoor fire pits.

By following these tips, you can help keep everyone safe. We hope you have a happy and fun Halloween this year!