Open Accessibility Menu
Hide

4 Crucial Halloween Fire Safety Tips

Halloween is one of the many fall and winter holidays. Pumpkin carving, decorating the house and dressing up for trick or treating are all fun festive activities we look forward to. Unfortunately, they also come with a risk of fire safety. Approximately 10,000 fires were reported the 3 days surrounding Halloween from 2014-20161. Don't get spooked, protect your family and home from fire with these crucial suggestions. 

  1. Jack-o-lanterns-Use battery-powered, flameless candles to light Jack-o-lanterns in place of open flames. Also, any pumpkin pulp left behind in a freshly carved lantern can ignite. Place lit pumpkins on a stable surface, away from animals and trick or treaters to avoid accidents knocking them over. Half of all decor-related fires are started by decoration being too close to a heat source2.
  2. Escape Routes- Look for two ways out if you are attending a Halloween party at an unfamiliar location. Visit only trustworthy haunted houses put on by credible property managers as they have to adhere to a strict set of fire safety codes. Keep all exits clear of decorations and/or obstructions.          
  3. Costumes- Choose fire-wise costumes that do not include trailing or billowing fabric. Make sure any masks have eye-holes big enough to see out of. Flashlights and glow sticks are helpful to prevent accidents. Before heading out for the night remind kids to stop, drop, and roll 
  4. Decorations- Decorations like hay, cornstalks, and dried leaves are highly flammable. Keep decor at least 12 inches away from flames. An overabundance of lights is typically reserved for Christmas but if you do go all out with lights and inflatables for Halloween, practice electric safety. Don't overload circuits and use the correct outdoor lights and extension cords.     

We hope your Halloween is not haunted by fire damage, but if the worst does happen, we're here to help. ServiceMaster Dynamic Cleaning's fire damage services are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. Contact us today.

1- https://www.usfa.fema.gov/data/statistics/reports/snapshot_halloween.html

2- https://www.nfpa.org/Public-Education/Fire-causes-and-risks/Seasonal-fire-causes/Halloween

                     

Categories