The excitement of the holidays can quickly turn to despair when fire rips apart your home, and sometimes your life.  

As the time for celebration draws closer, the Airdrie Fire Department wants to remind you about fire prevention and safety tips that you need to be aware of to keep fires from happening during Christmas and New Year's celebrations.

Deputy Chief Linda Masson's fire safety tips start where many celebrations do, in the kitchen.

"Because people have a lot more company in their homes, we really do ask them to think about their cooking.  It's a busy time, there's lots of distractions when you're cooking and often cooking fires can occur when stoves are left unattended.  We want people to focus on staying in the kitchen when you're cooking and, especially if you're using oils or high temperatures,  If a pot does catch on fire to put the lid on it to smother the flames and then turn off the heat."

Masson says many people like to use candles for holiday decorations, but her advice is to switch to flameless, battery operated candles.  If you insist on being a "traditionalist" she has some advice for you too.

"They do set a great mood for holiday celebrations but remember to always blow out the candles before you leave the room or it you're going out or going to bed.  Keep lit candles up and away from children or pets or flammable things such as curtains or holiday decorations."

When holidays guests sleep over, often they're put in cooler rooms in the basement with a space heater to keep them warm.  Masson says space heaters need to be well away from anything combustible.

"We need to keep them at least one metre away from anything that will burn: curtains, upholstery.  Keep clothing away.  Don't pile your mittens or hats on them to dry them, they're not a drying tool, they're a heating tool.  We ask that people don't use them for that but use them for what they're designed for, but give them lots of space."

Other fire safety tips:

  • Water natural Christmas trees often and keep them away from fireplaces, heaters and candles
  • Check all lights for loose bulbs and worn or broken cords and replace them if needed 
  • Follow manufacturers recommendations for the number of light strands to connect and remember that lights are either for indoor or outdoor use, not both
  • Turn off all indoor and outdoor lights before leaving the house or going to bed
  • Don't overload electrical outlets and never put cords under rugs
  • Always have working smoke detectors and carbon monoxide detectors in your home

Masson says fire-related deaths in Alberta double during the holiday season.  During 2016 there were 4,324 fires in the province resulting in 29 deaths and 166 injuries.

Cooking fires, fires caused by smokers' materials and fires involving electrical wiring in the home accounted for 68 percent of all house fires from 2006 - 2016.

Masson and her colleagues from the Airdrie Fire Department want to wish all Airdrie residents and anyone visiting the city for the holidays a very Merry Christmas, and a safe one as well.  They hope you'll keep fire safety in mind. 

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