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Holiday Safety Tips
Holiday Safety Tips from the BC Professional Fire Fighters’ Burn Fund
The BC Professional Fire Fighters’ Burn Fund urges you to take a few minutes before you begin your holiday decorating and festivities to follow these life-saving tips for a safe and happy holiday season:
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| Do not link more than three light strands together. |
Holiday Lights
Inspect all holiday lights for excessive wear, frayed wires and broken or cracked sockets before putting them up.
Only use lighting with an approved testing laboratory sticker.
Do not overload electrical outlets or link more than three light strands together.
Turn lights off before going to bed or leaving home.
Recycle your old lights!
Thanks to a partnership between the Vancouver Park Board, BC Hydro and Waste Management, visitors to the Bright Nights in Stanley Park display can bring in their inefficient holiday lights for free recycling and learn about the benefits of energy-efficient holiday LED lights. For each string recycled, BC Hydro will donate $2 to the BC Professional Fire Fighters' Burn Fund.
Christmas Trees
Choose a fresh tree that is not shedding needles. It should have a strong green color and noticeable fragrance.
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| Choose a fresh tree that is not shedding needles, then take care to keep it fresh and hydrated through the holidays. |
Cut about three centimeters off the butt end to open up the tree stem and allow water intake. Place tree in a stand that will hold two to three liters of water and top it off daily. If water drops below the end of the trunk, the stem may reseal itself, requiring a fresh cut.
Keep trees away from all sources of heat to prevent the tree from drying out. This includes fireplaces, radiators, furnace ducts, televisions sets and windows with direct exposure to the sun. A dry tree can easily ignite from heat, flame or sparks. The best protection for a tree is moisture so it is important that it receives a continuous supply of water.
Discard your tree promptly when it becomes dry. The best way to dispose of your tree is at a recycling or community tree-chipping centre. Do not leave a dry tree outside. It is a fire hazard.
Candle Safety
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| Put candles in stable holders and place them where they cannot be easily knocked down. |
Keep candles out of reach of children and pets, and away from any combustible materials.
Put candles in stable holders and place them where they cannot be easily knocked down.
Never use lighted candles on or near a Christmas tree.
Never go to bed or leave the house when candles are burning.
Home Safety
Remember to practice ‘E.D.I.T.H.’ -- Exit Drill In The Home. Families are encouraged to practice their home’s exit drills, especially before the holiday season.
Make sure you locate smoke alarms on every level of your home. Check the batteries monthly by using the alarm test button.
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| When was the last time you tested your smoke alarm? |
A working smoke alarm will detect smoke and sound an alarm, giving you precious time to escape.
The Burn Fund recommends that every smoke alarm be replaced after ten years of use.
Need a gift idea? Smoke alarms, fire extinguishers and first aid kits make practical holiday gifts.
For more information about fire safety, please contact your local fire department.
A registered non-profit charity established in 1978 by the BC Professional Fire Fighters Association, the Burn Fund provides life saving, life supporting, and life enriching services to the people in British Columbia.
More than 3,700 professional fire fighters from fifty communities around British Columbia and the Yukon are building the Burn Fund’s vision. They dedicate their time and skills to support burn survivors and increase the public’s knowledge about fire and burn safety issues through the work the Burn Fund does with its Burn Awareness, Research and Prevention Programs.
For more information or to make a donation, please visit www.burnfund.org.
Media Contact: Burn Fund Office, 604-436-5617 or E-Mail: nola@burnfund.org
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