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. 

Download: West Fargo Fire Department Pumpkin Carving Template (PDF)

Thanksgiving:

  • 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. 

Holiday Decorating:

  • 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.