Enjoy a safe Christmas

There is a growing fashion to use candles for lighting in various rooms in the house to create a relaxing atmosphere as well as mood enhancing aromas, particularly in the bedroom and bathroom.

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However, the following list of advice might prevent your home going up in flames this Christmas.

• Keep candles away from combustible objects, particularly curtains and Christmas cards, and anywhere where they might get knocked over.
• Don't allow young children or pets in a room alone with lit candles. Keep all matches and lighters out of a child's reach.
• Candles should be well placed in a candle-holder so they can not fall over. Only use appropriate candle-holders and not those which might burn, such as wooden or plastic ones.
• It is always a good idea to trim the candle wick to keep the flame short.
• Avoid buying any novelty candles which might involve inflammable materials, such as paint, paper, or dried flowers.
• Never leave the house or go to bed with candles still burning or unattended.

"A Dangerous Christmas" makes a safe children's present for Christmas

If you are giving toys to children this Christmas please observe these precautions.

• Please remember that banging and machine-gun noises from a toy can damage a child's hearing. Gun caps can be dangerous if fired indoors or within a foot of a child's ear.
• Children can be strangled by string, rope or cord if it becomes entangled around a child's neck.
• Parents should examine all toys periodically to see if they've broken. If any toys are damaged leaving sharp edges and other dangers they should be thrown away or repaired immediately.
• Parents should also examine electrical toys to ensure that they are safe and well constructed to avoid shocks and burns. Children should always be supervised and shown how to use electrical toys.

And lastly, enjoy a safe Christmas

• Check smoke detector batteries regularly and practice home escape plans so that you'll be prepared in the event of a fire.
• Ensure you have a multi-purpose dry chemical fire extinguisher in your home. Keep the extinguisher near an exit so if the fire spreads rapidly, you can leave the home quickly.
• For christmas tree safety never use hairspray or spray adhesive on a real Christmas tree to prevent the needles from dropping off to the floor. It is highly inflammable and therefore, a serious fire risk. Consider using an artificial christmas tree, maybe less desirable but cleaner.
• Never leave trees and decorations near an open fire or lit candles.
• All electrical decorations and fairy lights should be checked and replaced if they are over 10 years old. New manufacturing standards have been enforced since 1992.
• Ensure that all Christmas decorations used outside are designed for that purpose and do not create a fire hazard or electrical danger.