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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Holiday Hazards: Tips for a safe holiday season
 
Chardon, OH
The Chardon Fire Department often sees candles, unattended children, and
faulty holiday lighting displays as the cause of many fires. Nationally,
thousands of fires are caused by overloaded circuits, unattended kitchen/cooking
situations, and fireplace incidents involving creasote buildup in chimneys. The
National Fire Protection Association gives the following tips for holiday
safety:
Facts &
Figures
 | In 1999, there were 370 Christmas
tree fires
in U.S. homes, resulting in 5 deaths, 60 injuries and $15.7 million in direct
property damage.
| During 1999, candles
in U.S. homes caused an estimated 15,040 fires, 102 civilian deaths, 1,473
civilian injuries and $278 million in direct property damage.
| Fourteen percent of the candle fires occurred in December, this is almost
twice the 8% monthly average.
| In 11% of the December candle fires, the fires began when a decoration
caught fire. This was true in only 2% of the fires during the rest of the
year. |
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 Fire
Safe Holidays Brochures
Some of the things that make holidays so special also
pose special fire risks. Order Fire Safe Holidays
today! (Package of 100)
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Source: NFPA's One-Stop
Data Shop
Safety Tips:
Holiday decorating & lighting
| Use caution with holiday decorations and whenever possible, choose those
made with flame-resistant, flame-retardant or non-combustible materials. |
| Keep candles
away from decorations and other combustible materials, and do not use candles
to decorate Christmas
trees.
| Purchase only lights and electrical decorations bearing the name of an
independent testing lab, and follow the manufacturer's instructions for
installation and maintenance.
| Carefully inspect new and previously used light strings and replace
damaged items before plugging lights in. Do not overload extension cords.
| Always unplug lights before replacing light bulbs or fuses.
| Don't mount lights in any way that can damage the cord's wire insulation
(i.e., using clips, not nails).
| Keep children and pets away from light strings and electrical decorations.
| Turn off all light strings and decorations before leaving the house or
going to bed. |
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Holiday entertaining
| Unattended cooking
is the leading cause of home fires in the U.S. When cooking for holiday
visitors, remember to keep an eye on the range.
| Provide plenty of large, deep ashtrays and check them frequently. Cigarette
butts can smolder in the trash and cause a fire, so completely douse cigarette
butts with water before discarding, or flush them down the toilet.
| After a party, always check on, between and under upholstery and cushions
and inside trash cans for cigarette butts that may be smoldering.
| Keep matches and lighters up high, out of sight and reach of children
(preferably in a locked cabinet). When smokers visit your home, ask them to
keep their smoking materials with them so young children do not touch them.
| Test your
smoke alarms, and let guests know what your fire
escape plan
is. |
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For More Information Contact:
Chardon Fire Department
110 S. Hambden St. Chardon, OH 44024
Tel: 440-285-4665
FAX: 440-285-8320
Webmaster: Capt. J. Blauch
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