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DON'T LET FIRE HAZARDS GOBBLE UP YOUR HOLIDAY

State Fire Marshal Robert R. Rielage is sending a message with his wishes for a happy Thanksgiving weekend: Don't be a turkey when it comes to fire safety.

"The ingredients for a happy holiday--a house full of family, a delicious home-cooked feast, and putting up holiday lights--can be a recipe for disaster, if not seasoned with a dash of common sense," said Rielage. "I am urging Ohioans to practice fire safety as this hectic holiday season begins." Rielage offers the following tips to ensure a safe holiday season.

Houseguests

• Have a working smoke detector with fresh batteries on every level of the house.
• Make sure your family and houseguests know your home fire escape plan.
• Never leave children unattended, especially with increases in cooking, candles and lighting.
• If travelling, remember to pull right and yield for emergency vehicles.

Cooking

In 1999, fire departments in Ohio responded to 4,545 cooking related fires in peoples' homes. These fires caused $18 million in damage and resulted in 300 injuries and 10 deaths. Nearly one in every three residential fires was cooking related - mainly due to cooking left unattended.

• Never leave your cooking unattended.
• Be sure all the burners are turned OFF when you have finished.
• Don’t wear loose-fitting clothing when cooking over a stove.
• Use potholders. Towels could ignite if they are placed too near a burner.
• Place a rubber mat in front of your stove to prevent slipping and falling against it.
• Turn pot handles away from the front of the stove. Small children are curious and will grab a pot handled to see what is inside of the pot. They could get burned.
• Put a lid on a grease fire to smother the fire – never use water on a grease fire.
• In case of a fire – Get Out and Stay Out. Call 911 from a neighbor’s house.

Holiday Lights

• Purchase decorative lights bearing the label of a nationally recognized testing laboratory, such as Underwriters Laboratories (UL). Follow the manufacturer’s instructions for use.
• To prevent overheating, don't connect more light sets together than the directions indicate.
• Only lights labeled for outdoor use should be used outside, and lights should be fastened with hangars, not staples. Use a ground fault interrupter circuit when possible.
• Use the correct wattage replacement bulbs specified in the manufacturer’s instructions.
• Replace light sets and extension cords that are worn or cracked.
• Use as few extension cords as possible. Do not run them under rugs or over sharp objects where damage may go unnoticed or where a door may close on them.

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