Holiday Safety Tips

The holidays bring some unique challenges from a fire safety perspective. In order to help ensure that your family has a safe and enjoyable holiday season, please observe the following fire safety tips:

· Never leave candles unattended and always place them on a non-combustible surface. Placing pine boughs, ribbons, and other décor around the base of a candle is highly discouraged.

· When it’s time to place your luminaries, battery operated tea lights are highly recommended. Do not use candle-lit luminaries in high winds and always place on an asphalt or concrete surface.

· If deep frying a turkey, follow all directions carefully and only use outdoors on a concrete, dirt, or other non-combustible surface. NEVER use a turkey fryer on a deck or in the garage. Last year alone turkey fryers accounted for over 1,400 home fires.

· Hold off on bringing that natural Christmas tree indoors as long as you can, and ensure that the stand is filled with water at all times. Also make sure that all light strings are in good condition.

· Never run electrical cords under rugs or in high traffic areas.

· Use extreme caution when utilizing auxiliary heating devices in your home. Read instructions carefully; many fuel-fired portable heaters are only designed for outdoor use in well ventilated areas.

· Be sure that all smoke and carbon monoxide detectors have fresh batteries and are operating properly.

If you have any questions or concerns, the Bentwood Fire & Rescue Department offers free in-home safety inspections. These inspections are voluntary for the purposes of safety and not enforcement. If you would like a firefighter to inspect your home, call Robin at 615-371-0170 to arrange a visit.