Holiday Fire Safety

Halloween:

Use glow sticks or battery-operated candles for jack-o-lanterns and other decorations.
When choosing costumes, avoid long trailing fabric.
Provide trick-or-treaters with flashlights to carry for lighting or glow sticks as part of their costume.
Teach children to stay away from open flames, including pumpkins with candles in them.
Keep Halloween decorations away from open flames and other heat sources.
Remember to keep exits clear of decorations and keep nothing blocks escape routes.
Make sure all smoke alarms are working.
Tell children to stay way from open flames including pumpkins with candles in them. Be sure they know how to stop, drop and roll if their clothing catches fire.

Stay in the kitchen when cooking on the stovetop to keep an eye on the food.
Stay in the home when cooking turkey and check on it frequently.
Keep children at least three feet away from the stove when cooking.
Never leave children alone in a room with a lit candle.
Keep anything that can catch fire, such as oven mitts, wooden utensils, food packaging or towels, away from your stovetop.
If you have a small grease cooking fire:
- Stovetop - Smother the flames by sliding a lid over the pan and turning off the burner. Leave the pan covered until it is completely cooled.
- Oven - Turn off the heat and keep the door closed.
If you have any doubt about fighting a small fire...just get out. Close the door behind you and call 911 from outside the home.

Be careful with holiday decorations. Choose decorations that are flame resistant.
Keep lit candles away from decorations and other flammable items.
Keep children and pets away from lit candles.
Blow out lit candles when leaving a room or going to bed.
Replace any string of lights with worn or broken cords.
Use clips, not nails, to hang lights so the cords do not get damaged.
Turn off all light strings and decorations before leaving home or going to bed.