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Halloween Safety Tips

Fire Chief Kenneth G. Silva offers the following tips:

Costumes: 

·      Children should wear bright-colored costumes or use reflective tape to highlight them.

·      Ensure the costume is flame-retardant (check the label).

·      Costumes should not have trailing materials or tails long enough to cause children to fall.

·      Pointed objects, such as swords and devil's forks, should be made of soft material.

·      If your child wears a mask, ensure eye holes are large enough to see through clearly.

·      Children should wear appropriate footwear.

·      Children should carry flashlights to see and be seen.

Decorations: [top]

·      Use a small flashlight instead of a candle.  (See candle safety section at the bottom of this page).

·      Keep combustible, decorative materials away from flame and heat sources.

·      Use light strings and animated or electrical decorations that are listed by an approved laboratory, such as Underwriters Laboratories or Factory Mutual.

·      Before you begin decorating, read and follow the manufacturer's instructions concerning installation and maintenance of electrical decorations.

·      Before plugging in electrical decorations, carefully inspect them for cracked sockets; frayed, loose, or bare wires; and loose connections, which may cause a serious electric shock or start a fire.

·      Always unplug a light string or electrical decoration before replacing light bulbs or fuses.

·      Do not mount or support light strings in any way that might damage the cord's wire insulation.

·      Check the manufacturer's instructions on your electrical decorations to determine the maximum number of decorative lights (light strings) and decorations that may be connected.  If the product packaging does not indicate the number of light strings that may be connected, do not connect more than three light string sets together.

·      Do not overload extension cords, as this could cause the cord to overhead and start a fire.

·      Do not allow children or pets to play with light strings or other electrical decorations, as they could produce a deadly electric shock if they are misused.

·      Turn off electrical light strings and decorations before leaving home or going to bed.

 

Checking Treats: [top]

·      Smaller children should always be accompanied by an adult.  It is best to take little ones out early.

·      If older children are going out without you, review the ground rules first.

·      Know what neighborhoods they will be in.

·      Have children stay in a group.

·      Set a curfew.

·      Give them change to use the telephone if necessary.

·      Ensure your own home is well lit and there is a clear path to your door.

·      Call 911 to report suspicious or criminal activities and ask for the Honolulu Police Department.

·      Exercise extreme caution when driving a vehicle.  Be on the alert for excited youngsters whose vision may be obscured by masks or who may dart out into traffic. 

Instruct Children to: [top]

·      Carry a flashlight.

·      Use sidewalks.

·      Cross only at the corners.  Never dart out between parked cars.

·      Cover one side of the street at a time.  Do not criss-cross.

·      Never go inside someone's home unless it is a friend's house.

·      Never accept a ride from a stranger.

·      Approach houses only where the outside lights are on.

·      Bring bags home to be checked by an adult before eating treats.

 
CHRISTMAS SAFETY [top]

 

Christmas Tree Safety

 

Consider purchasing a fire-resistant/fire-retardant artificial tree, as they are safer and cleaner.

 

            Caring for Your Tree:

 

·        A fresh tree should not lose green needles when tapped on the ground.

·        Needles on fresh trees should be green and hard to pull out from branches.  Needles should not break if the tree has been freshly cut, and the trunk should be sticky to the touch.

·        Leave the tree outside until you are ready to decorate.

·        Cut one inch off the bottom of the trunk to allow the tree to absorb water.

·        Clean the tree stand to improve the tree's water intake.  Use one capful of bleach to one cup of water.

·        The tree stand should hold at least one gallon of water and be the proper size for the tree base to prevent tipping.

·        Check the water level every day.  A six-foot tree will use a half-gallon of water every day.

·        Mix a commercial preservative into the water.

·        Keep the tree away from flames and heat sources.

 

Decorating Your Tree:

 

·        Do not block exit doors with your Christmas tree or decorations.  Ensure you are able to escape in the event of a fire.

·        Before decorating the tree, read and follow the manufacturer's instructions concerning the installation and maintenance of electrical decorations.  Use only lights that are listed by an approved testing laboratory, such as Underwriters Laboratories or Factory Mutual.  Use the correct lights for indoor and outdoor use (most light sets are designated for one or the other, but not both).

·        Never use electric lights on a metal tree.  If a wire is faulty, it could energize the entire tree and create a deadly shock hazard.

·        Check the manufacturer's instructions on electrical decorations to determine the maximum number of decorative lights (light strings) and decorations that may be connected.  If the product packaging does not indicate the number of light strings that may be connected, do not connect more than three light strings together.

·        Before plugging in electrical decorations, carefully inspect them for cracked sockets; frayed, loose, or bare wires; and loose connections, which may cause a serious electrical shock or start a fire.

·        Do not allow children or pets to play with light strings or other electrical decorations, as they could produce a deadly electrical shock if they are misused.

·        Do not overload extension cords, as this could cause the cord to overheat and start a fire.

·        Consider using miniature lights, which have cool-burning bulbs.

·        Always unplug electrical decorations before replacing light bulbs or fuses.

·        Do not mount or support light strings in any way that may damage a cord's wire insulation.

·        The leading heat source attributed to Christmas tree fires, civilian injuries, and property damage is electrical arcing.  The leading types of equipment involved in the ignition of Christmas trees are lights, cords, and plugs.

·        Use caution with holiday decorations and, whenever possible, choose those made with flame-resistant, flame-retardant, or noncombustible materials.

 

Disposing of Your Tree:

 

·        Never experiment with burning your tree.  A dry Christmas tree can be completely consumed in 7-10 seconds with flames as high as 30' and smoke that will fill a large room.  You cannot control the fire.

·        A house on Oahu was completely destroyed when an open flame ignited the tree.  The tree lit up as soon as the flame touched the tree.

·        The best way to dispose of your tree is to take it to a recycling center.  Dried trees are extremely flammable and should not be left in a house or garage or placed against the house.

 

Miscellaneous:

 

·        Turn off electrical lights and decorations before leaving home or going to bed.  Never use candles, even on artificial trees.

·        Dispose of the tree properly.  Consider recycling it.

·        Consider purchasing an artificial tree.

 

Home Safety

 

·        This is a good time to change the batteries in your smoke alarms.  Change the batteries when decorating the tree.

·        Every home should have a smoke alarm inside each sleeping area and on every level of the home.  On floors without bedrooms, alarms should be installed in or near living areas, such as family rooms, living rooms, or dens.

·        Cooking vapors and steam can set off a smoke alarm.  To prevent this from happening, place the alarm(s) away from the kitchen or bathroom.  Clean the alarms regularly and according to the manufacturer's instructions.

·        Plan escape routes from the home in the event of a fire.  Know at least two ways out of each room.  Go directly to a specified meeting place outside of the home, and then call 911.

·        After holiday parties, check around and under the sofa and chair cushions for smoldering cigarettes.  Provide an adequate amount of ashtrays.

·        Have an operable fire extinguisher readily available.

·        With the increased popularity of turkey frying, the National Fire Protection Association and the National Burn Foundation warn consumers and discourage the use of turkey fryers.  Tests have shown that many of the fryers have a risk of tipping over, overheating, or spilling hot oil, leading to fires and burns.  The suggested alternative is to have a commercial professional prepare the turkey.

 

Safety Gift Ideas

 

Consider putting together a gift basket containing one or more of the following items:

 

·        Three smoke alarms and batteries

·        A quality fire extinguisher

·        A flashlight and batteries or light sticks

·        A first aid kit

·        A mobile phone

 

CANDLE SAFETY [top]

According to the National Fire Protection Association, candle fires are more common around the holidays because more people use them as part of their holiday decorations.

 

The following are candle safety tips for a safe and happy holiday:

 

·      Use candles only in rooms where there is a responsible adult to control and oversee flames.

·      Never leave a candle unattended.  If you must leave the room, be sure to extinguish the candle.

·      A child should not sleep in a room with a lit candle.  Do  not allow children and teens to have candles in their bedrooms.

·      Keep candles up high and out of children's reach.

·      Keep candles away from items, such as clothing, books, papers, Christmas trees, decorations, window blinds, and curtains, which may catch fire.

·      Never use candles on a Christmas tree or other evergreens.

·      Keep candles away from high-traffic locations, including areas accessible to children or pets, where they can be easily knocked over.

·      Place candles on stable surfaces in sturdy holders that grip the candle securely and will not tip over.  Ensure the holder cannot burn and it is large enough to collect dripping wax.

·      Keep candle wicks trimmed to one-quarter inch and extinguish taper and pillar candles when they burn to within two inches of the holder.  Votive and container candles should be extinguished before the last half-inch of wax begins to melt.

·      Avoid candles with combustible items embedded in them.

·      Do not place lit candles in windows where blinds and curtains can close over them.

·      Avoid carrying a lit candle.  Do not use a lit candle when searching for items in a confined space.

·      Use extreme caution if you carry a lit candle.  Hold it well away from clothing and combustibles that may be near your pathway and avoid loose, flowing clothing that is not flame-resistant.

·      Candles produce poisonous carbon monoxide as part of the combustion process.  Use them in open and well-ventilated areas.

·      Be extremely careful when using candles for lighting and, if possible, use battery-powered lights.
Last Reviewed: Monday, December 26, 2011