Winter and Christmas Fire Safety

In the winter months burn injuries are quite common. As the temperatures drop fires and candles start to burn and with that, house fires and burn injuries become more common. Other main fire and burn hazards during winter are Christmas lights and decorations which account for a significant amount of burn injuries and house fires over the Christmas period.

Over the winter holiday season, fairy lights and Christmas decorations contribute greatly to the amount of burn injuries sustained and to the amount of house fires. Christmas lights can be picked up very cheaply and are popular both inside and outside the house. When purchasing fairy lights, it is very important to make sure that the lights comply with British Standards as there are a lot of untested and therefore completely unsafe products out there available to buy. When positioning Christmas lights, it is also imperative that you do not allow them to directly touch decorations or any other combustible material. The same principles apply to outdoor lights.

Candles and oil burners are common household accessories that are used throughout the year but their usage increases during the winter months as they provide extra cosiness and heat to a room. Misuse of candles however, accounts for an estimated 3% of house fires in the UK each year and that approximately 10.5 thousand people attend hospital accident and emergency departments as a result of candle burns.[1] The most recent fire statistics show that 14 people were killed and 654 people injured in accidental house fires started by candles across the UK in 2005. In total, there were 1,700 accidental candle fires in homes in the UK that year.[2]

Scarily, national fire statistics state that you are 50% more likely to die in an accidental fire during the Christmas period than at any other time of the year*. RoSPA’s Head of Home Safety, Dawn Dcaccia, said “Candles and oil burners have enjoyed a resurgence in popularity in recent years and the shops are currently packed full with them, both to give as gifts and to use as Christmas decorations”

Keep the holiday period and winter as a whole, a safe and happy one. Be sensible, aware and take relevant precautions such as placing candles on suitable holders away from potential hazards and remember that a candle is an open flame and can easily ignite any combustible material. Ensure tree lights are not touching the tree decorations, and if using a real tree, make sure it hasn’t dried out too much.

Accidents can still happen even when you have taken safety precautions, so be extra prepared with a first aid kit, some burn treatment products and perhaps even a fire blanket. Initial treatment of an injury is vital in preventing the condition worsening and to assist in future healing and rehabilitation. This is also the case with burn injuries as if the burn area isn’t treated and cooled immediately, the flesh will continue to burn and the injury will worsen. Burns are prone to infection so it is also important to keep the wound clean and free from contamination. This is where specialised burn dressings come in particularly useful, with a brand called Burnshield being one of the leaders in this field.

The Burnshield burn first aid products are popular in consumer, industrial and medical fields due to the fact that the Burnshield technology has been applied to many forms of burn first aid items and product applications. Burnshield products are sterile, specially impregnated dressings and blankets that work by dissipating heat and therefore stopping the burning process, and by also providing a protective barrier against infection and foreign bodies.

The official distributors of Burnshield within the UK are First Aid warehouse and details of the product range can be found on their website. As the nominated distributor of Burnshield, First Aid Warehouse are able to offer fantastic deals on the full range of products including burn dressings, burn first aid kits and burn blankets. First Aid Warehouse is also the UK’s leading online supplier of first aid equipment and medical supplies including first aid kits, blood pressure monitors and diagnostic equipment. Ordering online is safe and easy and with purchases being delivered directly to your door.
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[1]craigavon.gov.uk/environment/Press%20Release%20on%20Candles%20for%20Districts.doc

*DCLG Fire Statistics 2000 – 2004 – 18 December to 8 Jan saw fire deaths increase to 1.12 deaths per day compared with .74 per day for the rest of the year.

[2] rospa.com/news/releases/2007/pr579_19_12_07_home.htm

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