Practice the 12 Days of Holiday Fire Safety

Windsor Fire Chief Bruce Montone has a holiday wish and he needs your help to make it come true.

"I’m wishing for a fire-free holiday season this year,” said Chief Montone. “But I need you to make this wish come true!”

While fire can happen anywhere, at anytime, it most often strikes when we let our guard down—when we’re distracted by the hustle and bustle of the holidays, by the telephone, by the kids or by the doorbell. All it takes is for a pot to be left on the stove, or a burning candle left unattended, and a family’s holiday celebrations can turn to tragedy.

“Consider using battery-operated or electric flameless candles,” continued Chief Montone. “Never leave cooking unattended, drink responsibly, and keep a close eye on those who do not.”

Windsor Fire & Rescue Services also reminds you that it’s the law to maintain working smoke alarms on every storey and outside all sleeping areas of your home. Everyone is urged to take a few minutes to test their smoke alarms and install new batteries if needed. If your home has a fuel-burning appliance or an attached garage, it’s now the law to have a working carbon monoxide alarm adjacent to each sleeping area of the home as well.

The holidays are a time when friends and family visit. Have a home fire escape plan with two ways out and make sure everyone is familiar with the plan.

For more holiday season fire safety tips, visit www.ontario.ca/firemarshal.

by Alan Halberstadt www.alanhalberstadt.com