North Battleford's adminstration and fire department are reminding residents of fire safety during the holidays. (ID 62806048 © Oksun70 | Dreamstime.com)

By Josh Ryan

Fire Safety

North Battleford releases fire safety guidelines for Christmas

Dec 3, 2020 | 3:04 PM

The City of North Battleford and the North Battleford Fire Department released fire safety tips and guidelines earlier this week, ahead of the Christmas holidays.

The release covers several areas for people to avoid hazards that could result in fires within their home. Dustin MacDonald, communications manager for the city, said there’s nothing abnormal in this year’s release from the city and the fire department.

“We want people to have a joyous and safe holiday season this year, have it be bright and festive,” he said. “But we also want to ensure people are doing so in a safe manner, that they’re not putting themselves and their families into a fire risk.”

There are guidelines for handling lights, decorations, trees, candles and more. Some of the most common ways a fire could accidentally start include leaving burning candles unattended, setting wrapping paper, stockings, trees and other items too close to the fire place or in some cases, to a strong heat source, such as a radiator. The release also advises getting a freshly cut tree, providing water daily and other things to mind while handling trees in the house.

Regarding lights, there’s a recommendation to use LED lighting, as they don’t produce heat, and to follow Canadian Standards Association guidelines for light sets. MacDonald said there’s a number of things to watch out for that would lead to future issues.

Riderville

Shades of 2007

13h ago

BODY-WORM CAMERAS

RCMP begins nationwide rollout of body cameras for frontline officers

Nov 15, 2024

Inflation

Rent inflation to slow in the next few years, Desjardins predicts

Nov 14, 2024

“Frayed wires, using outdoor lights indoors or indoor lights outdoors,” MacDonald said.

Deputy Fire Chief Colin O’Hara said most of the calls they get regarding fires during this time of the year stem from cooking incidents. With family members gathering in households, there’s plenty of distractions for those straying from their culinary activities.

“A lot of people leave the kitchen unattended, pot on the stove, and oven mitt or tea towel close to it,” O’Hara said. “We just want people to stay diligent and stay in the kitchen while cooking.”

Another basic rule to practice is to unplug and shut things off before leaving rooms. O’Hara said this can lead to electrical overload or items overheating, making it key to turn off all tree and display lights before retiring for the night or before leaving the house.

“A lot of things are being left on for long periods of time and they’re not necessarily designed for that,” he said.

The full list of fire safety practices is available on the city’s website.

—

josh.ryan@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @JoshRyanSports