The Grande Prairie Fire Department wants to make sure everyone stays safe this holiday season. Fire Prevention’s Trevor Schwab has some tips to make sure that happens, starting with tree safety.
“If you’re having a live, fresh tree, when you bring it home make sure you put it in water and water daily and then don’t keep the Christmas tree up for more than two weeks because at that point they’re starting to dry.”
When it comes to cooking over the holidays, Schwab says it’s important to make sure people are paying attention in the kitchen. In the most recent stats the department has, 22 per cent of residential fires were caused by cooking. He says nothing on the stove should be left unattended.
That’s also a piece of advice that goes for candles and smoking materials as well. Fire Department stats show that 15 per cent of fires in Grande Prairie were caused by smoking materials. Because of that, Schwab says it’s best to make sure things like cigarettes are fully out before leaving them unattended.
“We do get a lot of fires started because of improperly discarded and extinguished smokers materials. Always make sure that’s extinguished properly and put in a non-combustible container.”
Schwab says this is also good this time of year to check that all smoke alarms in the home are working and that people have an escape plan in case something does happen.
