With the holiday season upon us, we are entering one
of the most festive times of the year. But it can also be a deadly time
of the year.
Windsor Fire & Rescue Services is urging
everyone to pay special attention when cooking during the holidays and to drink
responsibly. Provincial statistics reveal that careless cooking is the number
one cause of fires and the second leading cause of fatal fires.
“The hustle and bustle of the holidays can
dramatically increase your risk of having a fire,” said Fire Chief Bruce
Montone. “All too often, these fires are started by unattended cooking, and in
many cases alcohol is involved.”
Windsor Fire & Rescue Services also is
reminding everyone about the law requiring working smoke alarms on every storey
of the home and outside all sleeping areas. Take a few minutes to test your
smoke alarms and make sure everyone in the home knows exactly what to do if the
smoke alarms sound in an emergency. Develop and practice a home escape plan
with everyone in the home.
Enjoy a fire safe holiday season by following these
tips:
· Stay in the kitchen
when cooking. Cooking is a major cause of home fires, so don’t leave the
kitchen if there’s something cooking on the stove. If a pot catches fire, don’t
try to move it. Cover the pot with a lid to smother the flames and turn off the
burner.
·
Keep things that can burn such as cooking utensils and
paper towels a safe distance from the stove, as they can easily ignite if they
are too close.
· Drink responsibly and
keep an eye on those who do not. Excessive alcohol consumption is a
contributing factor in many residential fires.
· Install and maintain
working smoke and carbon monoxide alarms outside all sleeping areas of the
home. Smoke alarms also are required on every storey. Failure to comply with
the smoke and carbon monoxide alarm requirements can result in a ticket for
$360 or a fine of up to $50,000 for individuals and $100,000 for corporations.
· Develop and practice
a home escape plan with everyone in the home.
by Richard Rosenthal
No comments:
Post a Comment