The National Fire Protection Association is encouraging people to take simple safety precautions to make sure Halloween remains festively fun.
NFPA offers these tips and guidelines for enjoying a fire-safe Halloween:
– Keep common decorations like cornstalks, crepe paper, and dried flowers far away from any open flames or heat sources, like candles, heaters, and light bulbs.
– Use candles in a well- attended area, out of the path of potential trick-or-treaters. Remind children of the dangers of open flames, and make sure they are always supervised when candles are lit. Extinguish candles before leaving an area.
– Glow sticks or electric candles are the safest choice when it comes to lighting up your jack-o-lantern. If you choose to use a real candle, do so with extreme caution. Light a candle inside a jack-o-lantern using long fireplace matches or a utility lighter; and keep it away from other decorations.
– Avoid costumes with fabric that billows or trails behind you, as these can easily ignite. If you are making your own costume, avoid loosely woven fabrics like linen and cotton, which can be very flammable.
– Give children flashlights or glowsticks for lighting. These can even be incorporated into the costume. If your child has a mask, ensure the eye holes are large enough for them to see clearly.
– This is a great time to make sure your smoke alarms are functional and up to date.
– And when decorating, ensure that nothing is blocking any escape routes.
According to NFPA, an annual average of 770 home structure fires began with decorations between 2014 and 2019, resulting in one civilian fire death, 26 civilian fire injuries and $13 million in direct property damage. More than 44% of these fires occurred because the decorations were too close to a heat source, such as a candle or hot equipment.
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