It's finally Christmas week and families all over the world are coming together to celebrate the holidays, but among all the celebrations the Airdrie Fire Department would like to remind everyone to be aware of fire hazards this Christmas.

 Deputy Chief Linda Masson of the Airdrie Fire Department says the first thing to be aware of this season is the smoke alarms in the house. Most smoke alarms run on batteries and when the batteries run out, it can be a serious issue.

"The one thing that we really want to emphasize, not only in the holiday season (but) all year long, is that you ensure to check your smoke alarms. That is your first line of defence should you have some sort of fire incident in your home. It's very important that you're alerted and able to get out, so test your smoke alarms once a month by pressing the test button. It's great to test them again now at the holiday time."

With Christmas decorations covering the house, and the occasional open flames burning happily, fire hazards can be more common. Masson cautions locals of using candles this Christmas.

"Lots of people use candles for their decorating and they're beautiful, but we'd just remind you that when you go out, blow out. We'd hope people will consider using the flameless candles now, they look just as nice as the real candles and are much safer."

If a candle is next to flammable material, it can result in an out-of-control housefire. Masson says using a live Christmas tree can be the perfect kindling for a potential fire.

"A lot of people love the traditional, live Christmas tree and they're very nice and have a wonderful aroma. We just ask that if you do have a live tree ensure that you water it every day, keep the base of the trunk in the water at all times so that it stays as fresh as you can and keep it away from ignition sources such as heaters or candles."

If a fire is unfortunately in the house and out of control, Masson urges locals to follow the first rule of fire safety.

"First thing (you) should do is get out and stay out. Call 9-1-1 from a safe location from a neighbors phone or from your cell phone if you're out at your meeting place and never go back in."

Masson says there are many ways to prevent a fire from ever happening, especially when decorating the house with lights.

"When you're thinking about your decorating this year or getting ready or even if you have your decorations up, we ask that before you put them up please check all the cords closely. If any of them are frayed or damage, don't use them, replace them. Make sure you use the correct lights or decorations for the job, so inside lights for inside and outside lights for outside."

"As you're hooking up all of your lights and your wonderful decorations that add to the season, use extension cords wisely. Be careful not to overload the outlets with the lights, decorations, and appliances because this can create overheating and result in a fire. And of course, never put extension cords under the rug."

Masson says one of the number one causes of house fires are appliances left on after cooking, or an unwatched flame in the kitchen.

"As you're enjoying your days with guests and people in the home and cooking your wonderful turkeys, always remember to stay in the kitchen while you're cooking. Should some pan of food catch fire, remember to slide the lid over it and turn off the burner."

Most importantly, make sure to protect your guests in the home. 

"Everyone should have a home escape plan. So if something does go wrong, your smoke alarm alerts you and then you know how to get out safely and have a meeting place. This is really important when we have guests or people in our homes that aren't there with us all the time, ensure that they are away that 'this is our meeting place, this is where we go'. And if you do have a fire, get out and stay out and call 9-1-1."

 

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