3 Safety Devices To Prevent Your Home Being a Holiday Fire Statistic

As families and friends come together to celebrate the Easter holidays, it is important that they consider fire safety. The holiday season brings decorations, celebrations and an increase in indoor cooking, all of which increases the risk of residential fires.

Sub-officer Franklin Francis at the Castries Fire Station says there are three main causes of home fires particularly during the Easter holiday weekend. Namely unattended cooking, electricity and candles and/or matches.

Cooking Fires

According to the St Lucia Fire Service, cooking is the top cause of holiday fires. "The most common culprit is food that’s left unattended, says Officer Francis. "It’s easy to get distracted;take a pot holder with you when you leave the kitchen as a reminder that you have something on the stove." He reiterated. 

He continues, "Make sure to keep a kitchen fire extinguisher that’s rated for all types of fires and check that smoke detectors are functioning."

Electrical Fires

Bryan Charles, a certified electrician says that most electrical fires are caused by:

• Faulty electrical outlets and old, outdated appliances. Other fires are started by faults in appliance cords, receptacles and switches.
• Misuse of extension cords is another electrical fire cause. Appliances should be plugged directly into outlet and not plugged into an extension cord for any length of time.
• Light fixtures, lamps and light bulbs are another common reason for electrical fires. Installing a bulb with a wattage that is too high for the lamps and light fixtures is a leading cause of electrical fires.
• Outdated wiring often causes electrical fires.

Candle Fires

To reduce the danger, maintain about a foot of space between the candle and anything that can burn. Set candles on sturdy bases or cover with hurricane globes. Never leave flames unattended. Before bed, walk through each room to make sure candles are blown out. For atmosphere without worry, consider flameless LED candles.

3 Fire Safety Devices

Therefore, high on everyone’s shopping list should be:-

A smoke alarm - For a minimal fee a smoke detector can help you literally rest assured that a fire won't catch you sleeping. These potentially lifesaving devices could prove to be the best improvement you make to your home over the holiday weekend.

A Fire Extinguisher – You probably are aware that a smoke alarm is by far the best home-safety investment you can make. But you'd like to take the next step in fire protection. Perhaps you'd like to be able to fight a fire before it spreads through your home. Fire extinguishers can be a small but important part of the home fire safety plan. They can save lives and property by putting out a small fire or suppressing it until the fire department arrives.

Fire Gone - The Fire Gone Fire Extinguisher is a piece of equipment everyone should possess. This small aerosol can, could be the difference between life and death. The Fire Gone Fire Extinguisher delivers a strong targeted stream that goes right to the source of the fire coating it with firefighting foam.The extinguisher can be used on most electric, grease, fabric and wood fires.

“If you need to leave home, ensure that your house is safe from fires. You look at what may be able to cause a fire and try your best to eliminate the risk. Where electricity is concern, irons, ensure that they are properly turned off and in a safe place” says Officer Francis a Sub Officer at the Castries Fire Station.