Warnings for Bridlington residents to not overdo Christmas lights
People in Bridlington and the East Riding are being warned to not overdo it with Christmas lights this year.
People in Bridlington and the East Riding are being warned to not overdo it with Christmas lights this year.
It's as many have started putting up their decorations up and there are fears some could overload sockets and cause electrical fires.
Paul Robson, from Humberside Fire and Rescue service, said:
"When you're thinking about your Christmas lights, if you're buying new ones then we recommend that people get those that have got a CE mark on them, manufactured to a particular standard and a safe standard. We're looking for any signs of damage to the cable or the plug.
"Candles are quite prevalent at this time of year. Just try and maintain safety when you're using them, never leave then unattended and never leave them close to other articles that might burn. If a tree tends to be in a corner, the heat kind of bounces back off the wall so it intensifies the fire and makes it spread a lot quicker.
"We just like people to stay safe and our teams are always on hand to offer advice and our crews are always on hand to respond to emergencies should they occur. If people follow the safety tips that we've given them and the guidelines then hopefully incidents will be kept to a minimum."
Steve Duffield, Group Manager Public Safety at Humberside Fire and Rescue Service, said:
“People are decorating their home and planning their festivities. It is a busy time of year and this means fire safety is often pushed out of our minds. Many people will be cooking on a larger scale than usual and using candles more frequently. If distracted, the risk of fire related incidents can increase. We are asking people to take some simple steps to make sure that this Christmas is remembered for all the right reasons.”
Humberside Fire and Rescue say there are a few simple things you can do at Christmas (and the rest of the year) to reduce the risk of fire:
• Don’t overload sockets with Christmas lights and ensure they are fully untangled before putting up and no frayed wires are showing near the plug
• Avoid cheap lights which may not be made to acceptable standards
• Turn off and unplug electrical appliances at night – including your Christmas tree and other decorative lights
• Avoid mixing chargers for electronic devices. Phones and tablets should be charged using the manufacturers’ leads they came with
• Turn heaters off and put up fire guards when you leave the house or go to bed
• Keep candles on a metal or ceramic base or saucer and well away from curtains, Christmas trees or presents
• Put cigarettes and candles out properly – never leave candles unattended
• Close internal doors – this will stop a fire from spreading should one break out
• Ensure that you have a working smoke alarm on each level of the house – this will give you valuable extra time to escape in the event of a fire
Obviously there seems to be greater activity in the kitchen at this time of year. Residents are being urged to follow a few simple steps to stay safe from cooking related fires:
• Simple distractions such as answering the phone can lead to a fire developing, so always remove food from the hob or turn it off if you are called away
• Take care if you’re wearing loose clothing as it can catch fire easily
• Don’t cook if you have been drinking alcohol or taken prescription drugs – you may get drowsy or lose concentration
• Turn saucepans so the handles don’t stick out over the edge of the hob or over another ring
• Double check that the cooker is switched off when you have finished cooking
• Make sure tea-towels aren’t hanging over the cooker and don’t put oven gloves on top of a hot cooker
• Keep the oven, hob and grill clean – built-up fat and bits of food can start a fire
• When possible, use a timer to remind you to turn off the cooker when finished
• Don’t leave young children unattended in the kitchen whilst there are things cooking on the hob