The risk of a house fire may be the last thing on your mind while you get ready to celebrate the holidays with your friends and family. But the truth is that house fires during the holiday season are not only more frequent but also more deadly than house fires at any other time of the year.
According to the U.S. Fire Administration, compared to the average day there are more than double the number of open-flame fires on Christmas and twice as many on New Year's. What's more, the number of fatalities is also 70% higher when fires occur during the holidays and property loss is 34% greater. To help keep your family, friends, and property safe this holiday season, consider the following holiday fire safety tips.
Don't leave food unattended
One of the top causes of holiday fires is cooking. A person may put food in the oven or on the stove and walk away to spend time with family and friends. This is dangerous because food left unattended can easily burn, overflow, or catch fire. Stay by the stove or oven while the food is cooking, set timers, and carry an oven mitt or potholder with you to remind yourself that you're cooking something.
Don't leave candles unattended
Whether you're celebrating Hanukkah, Christmas, Kwanza, Yule, or New Year's, candles are a big part of the holiday season. Candles help to bring light to a time of year when sunlight is precious. Candles also a big part of increase house fire risks during the holidays. In fact, candles cause four times as many fires during the month of December than any other month.
Treat your candles during the holiday season like you would treat a campfire by maintaining a foot of space between the candle anything flammable. Don't leave your candles unattended and make sure every candle has been blown out before going to bed.
Don't keep a dry Christmas tree in the house
A dry Christmas tree is like one big matchstick. It takes less than 30 seconds for a dry Christmas tree to set an entire room on fire. To keep your tree from becoming a fire hazard, make sure the tree you get is cut fresh and that you water it daily. Keep the tree away from candles, space heaters, and heating vents.
Use fireproof safes to protect important paperwork
Accidents happen and fires can start unexpectedly in your home even when you take all the necessary precautions. The good news is that you can still keep important paperwork and precious family photos and documents safe from unexpected fires. Fireproof safes ensure that your paperwork and photos are safe.
The Safe and Vault Store offers a variety of fireproof safes and accessories for your
