Cleveland is becoming an increasingly diverse community enjoying a wide range of festivals and celebrations. The possibility of a fire is the last thing on our minds but many events including Christmas, Diwali, Hanukkah, Chinese New Year and Eid ul-Fitr bring their own specific fire risks.
Safety precautions
- It’s easy to forget safety when you’ve had a few drinks, so if celebrating with alcohol take extra care. Never cook when you have been drinking alcohol.
- If you are using decorative lights make sure they meet British Standards and are in good working order.
- Make sure decorative lights are turned off at night and when you go out.
- Make sure the plug for the decorative lights has the right size fuse (refer to the manufacturers instructions).
- Candles are often used during celebrations and festivals – never leave them burning unattended or close to curtains or other objects that could catch fire.
- Keep decorations, wrapping paper and greetings cards away from decorative lights, candles, fireplaces and heaters.
- If you are using fireworks, always follow the firework code.
- If you are having a party, or inviting guests to stay, make sure they know how to escape if a fire starts. Tell your guests where you keep door and window keys. If guests are smoking, ensure cigarettes are put out carefully in a proper ash tray.
- Preparing food is a major part of most festivals, but many fires start in the kitchen. Cooking should never be left unattended and extra care should be taken when preparing deep fried food.
- See related links for general advice about protecting your home and fire safety during specific festivals at the Fire Kills website.
Every year we attend a large number of alcohol and drug related fires. The cause usually is people drinking alcohol and then falling asleep whilst cooking or smoking.
It only takes one act of carelessness when smoking or cooking to result in someone losing their home, their possessions or, ultimately, their life.
Often the person who has been drinking will not wake up when a fire takes hold, particularly if they do not have a working smoke alarm. Even when the alarm is raised and firefighters enter the home, it is not uncommon for a person to have already lost consciousness and died through smoke inhalation.
Even if the person is not asleep, intoxication can cause drowsiness and can make them less alert to the signs of fire. When they do discover a fire, the alcohol/drugs can heighten feelings of disorientation, making it difficult for them to escape.
Being drunk can make you uncoordinated and uninhibited and as a result you are more at risk of causing a fire from cooking or smoking.
We advise people to:
- Buy food on the way back from the pub, rather than attempting to cook when you get home.
- Never drive home when you have been drinking, and take care if walking home.
- Make sure cigarettes are properly extinguished before you go to sleep.
- Ensure a working smoke alarm is installed, as this will greatly increase the chances of escaping if fire breaks out in the home.
- Check smoke alarms using the test facility once a week. #testittuesday
- Do not drink so much that you cannot take care of yourself, your family or your home.
Useful links
Directgov Firework safety and the law
Directgov Bonfires – safety and the law
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