As residents deck the halls this holiday season, Lethbridge Fire and Emergency Services is reminding people to decorate safely.
Chief fire marshal Troy Hicks advised residents to double-check holiday lights for frayed wires or broken sockets and to be mindful of how many items are plugged in to avoid overloading outlets.
“If you’re ordering them online, make sure you’re having a good look of where it’s coming from, [and] make sure it’s either ULC or CSA-approved,” Hicks said. “Sometimes when you find these on Amazon or other websites online, and they’re really cheap, well, sometimes there’s a reason why they’re really cheap.”
Hicks also warned about the risks of burning candles, noting they should always be extinguished before leaving the house or going to bed.
“I’ve experienced myself where I’ve blown candles out, and about a half hour later, I’ll smell something, I go back into that room, and the candle’s re-lit,” he said.
“One thing I did notice, and you know, we’re never too old to learn, is with those large candles you get that actually have a cover on them, you actually just put the cover over top. It cuts the oxygen off to the candle, it doesn’t give any smoke in the room, and it makes sure the candle’s out.”
Hicks recommended using battery-operated candles instead of traditional candles. For those using wax melters, he said they should be plugged directly into a wall outlet or a surge-protected power bar and turned off when not in use.
The same advice applies to space heaters and heated blankets. Hicks said heaters should be kept at least three feet away from walls or anything combustible.
“If you have one that is really, really old and doesn’t have a tip-over feature that it shuts off or a timer on it, I’m not saying you have to go buy a new one, but just be extra careful with those ones,” Hicks said.
He added that heated blankets showing signs of wear should be replaced.
“If you feel different parts of [your heated] blanket aren’t heating up anymore or aren’t working, that’s a good sign to replace it because it just means that some of the wiring that’s inside that is now not working, and it could be broken, it could be frayed, it could be anything like that. So it would be a good idea to get one,” he said.
Users are also urged to turn off and unplug heated blankets and heating pads when they are not in use.
“Don’t leave them turned on when you’re not using them. I have been to a few home fires here in the City of Lethbridge over the years, and I can think of two right off the top of my head that were heating pads that were left on a lazy boy, and when the people left to go to work, it was still running and that’s what happened,” Hicks said.
With kitchens busier during the holidays, Hicks also encouraged residents not to leave cooking unattended, especially when frying, boiling, grilling or broiling. Unattended cooking remains the leading cause of kitchen fires.
He also advised keeping combustible items, such as oven mitts and dish towels, away from the stove. In the event of a grease fire, cooks are reminded never to use water, but instead smother the flames with a lid and turn off the burner.
Hicks added exits should be kept clear of decorations, packages, boots and furniture to ensure a quick escape in an emergency.
