Fiery Nightmare on Your Street
Halloween's rank as the second largest holiday means that virtually every home on your street and in your neighborhood is decorated for the season. A large spider is probably suspended over your neighbor's porch and a huge inflatable pumpkin can be seen on the front lawn of the house down the street. Halloween decorations also involve open flames that can lead to home fires, including candles in jack-o'-lanterns, tiki torches, campfires, and other lighted objects. According to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), an average of 1,000 fires are caused by these decorations annually, resulting in six civilian deaths, 53 civilian injuries, and $16 million in direct property damages each year. To protect your family, listen to the experts and take steps to protect your home and family from a devastating fire this Halloween. NFPA's Be Halloween Safe tip sheet offers precautions you can take to prevent fires and watch NFPA's Halloween safety video for additional advice. After Halloween, remember to change the batteries in your smoke and carbon monoxide detectors throughout your home. Daylight savings time ends on Sunday, November 3, which marks the 26th year of the Change Your Clock Change Your Battery� program, sponsored by Energizer and the International Association of Fire Chiefs. Use that extra hour you "gain" wisely by changing the batteries in your detectors and testing your detectors to ensure they are working properly. Inform your family, friends, and neighbors to do the same. The peak time for home fire fatalities is between 11 p.m. and 7 a.m. when most families are sleeping. A smoke alarm may be your family's only notification of a fire emergency. |