Fire safety organizations across North America are offering up a variety of holiday fire safety suggestions. Share these with your clients and ensure their home insurance provides adequate coverage for their needs.
In the kitchen, grease and fat fires are a leading cause of home fires in Canada, so be extra careful when doing this kind of cooking. Here’s what to do if grease in a pot or pan catches fire:
- Smother the flames by covering the pan with a lid;
- Turn off the heat immediately;
- Use baking soda (flour can be explosive) on shallow grease fires;
- Never turn on the overhead fan, as this could spread the fire;
- Never throw water on a grease fire.
A live Christmas tree can be a fire hazard the longer it stays in the house. A freshly cut tree will stay green longer and be less of a fire hazard. Try to pick a tree with a strong green colour and noticeable fragrance. Always test for freshness before buying. A tree with high moisture content is safer. Very few needles should fall when the butt of the tree is tapped on the ground; needles should bend, not break; and the stump should be sticky with resin.
Place the tree in a stand that will hold two to three litres of water and top it up daily to ensure it is always immersed in water. This is important because if water drops below the trunk, the stem may reseal itself, requiring a fresh cut.
Use a tree stand that has widespread legs for better balance and don’t set your tree up near a heat source such as a radiator, television, fireplace, heating duct or sunny window. It should not block doors.
Remove the tree within 10 to 14 days. After that amount of time in a heated building, even the freshest tree can start to dry out.
Decorations
- Choose decorations that are flame-retardant, non-combustible and non-conductive.If there are young children or pets in your home, avoid very small decorations.
- Avoid using angel hair (glass wool) together with spray-on snowflakes. This combination is highly combustible.
- Do not use metallic ornaments on the tree. If they make contact with defective wiring they could become a shock hazard.
Lights
- Never use lighted candles on the tree.
- Use Canadian Standards Association (CSA) certified light strings/sets.
- Use the proper lights for the environment. Indoor light strings/sets should not be used outdoors because they lack weatherproof connections. Some outdoor light strings/sets burn too hot indoors.
- Inspect light strings/set before use. Check for cracked bulbs and for frayed, broken or exposed wires, and discard if faulty.
- Do not use electric light strings/sets on metallic trees. A faulty system could energize the tree and shock or electrocute anyone coming into contact. Illuminate metallic trees with colored floodlights placed at a safe distance from the tree and out of reach.
- Turn off all tree and display lights before retiring for the night or before leaving the house.
Candles can add a warm festive touch to any room long dark nights, but open flames pose a hazard. It is important to follow key safety tips with candles.
- Place candles away from absolutely anything that could catch fire.
- Never leave burning candles unattended.
- Burn them only when a responsible adult is overseeing the flame.
- Put candles in sturdy holders on a stable surface, well away from drafts, curtains, children and pets.
- Snuff them out before leaving the room or going to sleep.
A fireplace is often a key part of keeping family and guests cozy over the holidays, and a central focus of home decorating. But used improperly, a fireplace can be a hazard.
- Never burn gift wrappings, boxes, cartons, or other types of packing in the fireplace. They burn too rapidly and generate far too much heat.
- Don’t hang Christmas stockings from the mantel when the fireplace is in use.
- Always use a screen in front of the fireplace to protect against flying sparks.
- Never use gasoline or any other flammable liquids to start a fire.
- Use only seasoned and dried wood.
- Never leave the fire unattended or let it smolder.
- Clean the ashes regularly. Place the ashes in a metal container and store outside away from flammable materials.
- Don’t use Christmas trees for firewood.
Last but not least, make sure your smoke alarms work. You should have at least one working smoke alarm on every level of your home to keep your family and guests safe.
ILScorp offers a number of home insurance courses that address fire safety. These online continuing education courses are accredited for insurance agents across Canada. Completes some continuing education credits today in the comfort of our own home, or wherever you have an internet connection. Serach our course catalogue at ILScorp.com.
