Did you know more home cooking fire mishaps happen during the holidays, especially after Thanksgiving and Christmas eve? According to the statistics, more than 1,300 people are treated in the ERs for injuries resulted from fire incidents and improper installation of lighting and holiday decorations. Fires started from Christmas tree alone cost approximately $20 million in property loss and damage.
Let’s face it - when people are busy celebrating the holidays and cooking extravaganza dinner for their families, they often tend to overlook any fire hazards, resulting in fire accidents. If you own an apartment complex, it’s best to ensure your building meets fire safety codes and is equipped to deal with any fire accidents. Hiring a professional company to provide fire alarm installation and fire prevention services is the first right step to prevent fires.
Here are some tips that will help you ensure a safe holiday celebration.
Fire safety and prevention tips
- It is best to follow these tips during Thanksgiving and Christmas preparations to prevent any unpleasant incidents:
- It is best to get your fire alarm system, fire sprinklers, gauges, fire extinguishers, and other equipment inspected by a licensed professional ahead of the holiday season.
- If you own a residential building, ensure all the residents are instructed to follow the proper fire safety instructions like:
- Cleaning stove, oven, and/or grill before use and avoid wearing any jewelry or loose-fitting clothing while cooking.
- Turn pot handles inward to keep them from accidentally spilling and keep the items that could easily catch fire away from stovetops, grills, and candles.
- Ensure they never use water to put out a grease fire and keep a fire extinguisher within 10ft reach in the kitchen.
- Ensure the fire alarm system and smoke detectors have been inspected on every level of your residential or commercial building to ensure they are in working condition.
- If you are using any candle lights for decoration in the building, make sure that they have a glass guard around them or place them a minimum of 12 inches away from any curtains or anything that can catch fire.
- Make sure that the electrical circuit does not get overloaded. It is best to assess how much load can be handled by your building’s electrical system and the load capacity required for all the lighting.
- Whether you are decorating the residential or commercial office building with lighting, it is best to install a surge protector to prevent any damage from an electrical surge. An unexpected electrical surge can damage the circuit board and the panel’s electrical components; therefore, it is best to be prepared in advance.
You may feel overwhelmed during the holiday season, but FireServ is here to assist you in taking appropriate fire prevention measures in advance. We have an excellent team of certified professionals who will ensure your fire alarm installation complies with relevant codes and standards. Our experts will make suitable recommendations after adequately assessing your fire protection system. So if you’re looking to have a fire alarm installed or inspected for your business, you can call FireServ at (800)567-5740 for all your fire alarm needs.