Hampshire Fire & Rescue Service (HFRS) has launched a Christmas Cheer campaign to help prevent fires during the festive season.
Although Christmas will be celebrated differently this year with families gathering in smaller numbers (bubbles), the Service wants people to remain vigilant to festive fire risks and ensure they have the knowledge to celebrate safely.
With a campaign message of‘hope we don’t see you this Christmas’, fire safety messages and advice are being shared across HFRS social media channels and their website in the run-up to Christmas.
Many people are using more Christmas lights and decorations than ever before this year to lift spirits, so here are some top fire safety tips:
· Check any Christmas lights conform to the British Standard and always switch off and unplug these before leaving the house/going to bed.
- Real Christmas trees are more prone to catching fire than artificial trees. Keep your tree well-watered regularly to stop it from drying out.
- Decorations and Christmas cards burn easily so keep these away from lights, heaters, and candles.
Christmas is a time to enjoy festive family feasts but cooking causes over 50% of all home fires (Source – Fire Kills) so cooking should never be left unattended. It’s also a good idea to avoid cooking if you’ve consumed too much alcohol as accidents can easily happen.
The Christmas break is also a great opportunity to check smoke alarms. Working smoke alarms save lives so if you or a family member/friend doesn’t have one, it could be the best Christmas present you ever buy!
Group Manager for Community Safety at Hampshire Fire and Rescue Service, John Amos said:
“After such a challenging year for our community, we know most people are looking forward to the Christmas break and we want to make sure everyone has the knowledge to celebrate safely.
As well as adhering to the latest Government guidelines throughout the festive period, we’re asking people to consider and remain alert to fire risks.
Our Christmas Cheer campaign is packed with lots of useful advice to help ensure it’s Christmas Cheer, not fire that’s spread this year.”
Watch the #ChristmasCheer video and get further festive fire tips
