Fire Safety During The Holidays

As the holiday season approaches we look forward to reconnecting with family and friends, and with this we should also prepare and plan for safety. This time of the year brings with it the chance to reflect on the past year, and plan for the upcoming year. We at the Mount Vernon Fire Department hope that as you plan you consider the following regarding holiday safety:

HOLIDAY ENTERTAINING

• Thanksgiving is the peak day for home cooking fires with more than three times the daily average for such incidents. Christmas Day and Christmas Eve ranked second and third, with both having nearly twice the daily average. 
• In 2019, U.S. fire departments responded to an estimated 1,400 home cooking fires on Thanksgiving, the peak day for such fires.
• Unattended cooking was by far the leading contributing factor in cooking fires and fire deaths.
• Cooking caused half (49 percent) of all reported home fires and more than two of every five (42 percent) home fire injuries, and it is the second leading cause of home fire deaths (20 percent) in 2015-2019.

Source: NFPA Research

• Test your smoke alarms and tell guests about your home fire escape plan.
• Keep children and pets away from lit candles.
• Keep matches and lighters up high in a locked cabinet.
• Stay in the kitchen when cooking on the stovetop.
• Ask smokers to smoke outside. Remind smokers to keep their smoking materials with them so young children do not touch them
• Provide large deep, ashtrays for smokers. Wet cigarette butts with water before discarding.
• Follow ALL manufacturers directions with regards to cooking equipment ( open flame cookers, turkey fryers)

Source: NFPA Research

Additional information can be found at the links below:

CookingSafety@RedCross.org