Christmas Fire Safety Tips – The festive season is a time for celebration, but it also brings an increased risk of fires. As you deck the halls this Christmas, be fire-aware so your holiday remains bright and joyous. Follow these simple yet essential tips for Christmas fire safety in your home or business.
Christmas Trees – Keep Them Flame Resistant
Real Christmas trees look gorgeous but pose a fire hazard if not cared for properly. Here’s how to pick and maintain a safe tree:
Select a Fresh Tree
Choose a tree with vibrant green needles that are hard to pull off. Give the trunk a bounce on the ground – only a few needles should fall. Old, dried-out trees burn faster.
Water Daily
A fresh tree can drink 2-3 pints of water every day. Use a sturdy stand with a water reservoir. Check and top up the water level daily.
Position Wisely
Place the tree at least 3 feet from open flames, radiators and other heat sources. Move candles, oil burners and table teasers away.
Lights – Inspect, Don’t Overload
Christmas lights spread cheer but also increase your fire load. Follow these tips for safe use:
Check Condition
Inspect light strings before putting them up. Discard any with frayed cords, broken sockets or cracked/damaged bulbs.
Don’t Overload Outlets
Plug no more than three light strands into an extension cord. Don’t link cords in a chain. Unplug all lights when leaving home or sleeping.
Use Outdoors Rated Lights Outside
While indoor lights can be used out, don’t put outdoor lights inside. They may overheat or short circuit indoors.
Entertaining Guests – Have an Escape Plan
The holiday rush brings visitors and parties. Ensure everyone’s safety with an evacuation strategy, for piece of mind follow our
Keep Exits Clear
Remove obstructions around doorways and escape routes. Leave keys in locks for quick egress.
Have an Assembly Point
Pick a safe outdoor meeting spot. Make sure everyone knows where it is. Appoint someone to guide intoxicated guests outside.
Check Alarms and Extinguishers
Test all smoke alarms monthly by pressing test buttons. Recharge/replace batteries if needed. Ensure fire extinguishers are accessible and charged.
Why is Fire Safety So Important?
Fire disasters strike quickly and are often fatal if unchecked. Being fire-safe allows quick detection and escape to prevent loss of life and property damage. Some sobering fire statistics that underscore the need for vigilance:
- Over 100 people die annually in Ireland due to fires, many during the winter months
- Faulty electrics and heating equipment cause 1 in 3 home fires
- 20% of businesses never reopen after a serious fire
- Inhaling toxic smoke causes over half of all fire fatalities
Small precautions like having functioning alarms, unblocked exits, escape plans and stopping fire spread with passive protection save precious seconds that allow people to survive and limit devastation.
Stay Safe from Fire This Festive Season
Christmas should be a time for joy and togetherness rather than tragedy. While risk cannot be eliminated, being cautious, prepared and fire aware helps prevent yuletide disaster.
Follow the tips outlined on securing Christmas trees, inspecting lights, having escape plans and installing passive protection. The small effort involved gives your loved ones the gift of safety. Please spread the fire prevention message so everyone enjoys a disaster-free festive period.
As you welcome Santa down the chimney, let Firestoppers welcome you into a New Year safeguarded from fire. We wish you happy holidays filled with the warmth of home, hearth and company rather than flames. Contact us anytime for advice or solutions to keep homes and businesses fire-secure all year round.
Passive Fire Protection from Firestoppers
This Christmas and year-round, let Firestoppers safeguard your Dublin premises from fire spread with bespoke passive protection solutions.
What We Offer
As Ireland’s #1 passive fire contractor, we design/install fire-stopping, fire seals, fire-rated boards and more using certified products.
Why Choose Us
With 30+ years of experience and ISO certification for quality processes, we ensure code-compliant fire safety for all building types.
This Christmas, stay vigilant and let us handle your passive protection needs. Contact Firestoppers or call : (+353) 01 8165587 today for a site evaluation.
