Officials offer reminder to keep holiday season free of fire hazards

~ Smoke detectors should be in every bedroom and on every floor of a house.

To ensure Santa gets safely down the fireplace chimney Christmas Eve, area fire officials are advising homeowners to have their chimneys professionally cleaned.

With the cooler weather and holiday festivities in full swing, fireplaces are a popular addition to conventional home heating systems as well as a holiday tradition.

But without proper maintenance, smoke residue can accumulate, contributing to the risk of chimney fires.

"Have the chimney inspected by a qualified inspector," said McClure-East Cape Fire District chief Stanley Mouser.

Firefighters agree that inspections twice a year of both fireplaces and home heating furnaces are vitally important in residential fire prevention.

Smoke detectors should be in every bedroom and on every floor of the house, said Cape Girardeau fire marshal Mike Morgan.

Carbon monoxide

Carbon monoxide detectors should be placed near on every floor near fuel-burning heating elements such as kerosene heaters.

Jackson fire Capt. Stephen Grant added that burning holiday wrapping paper in the fireplace is not a good idea as the vinyl-type coating used on many papers contributes to creosote buildup in the chimney, which, if significant, can ignite.

"It could take five or six years and you could be fine," he said. "But the next year you could be calling us."

There are other fire hazards the holidays present, such as overloading wall sockets, unattended candles, cooking mishaps, dried-out Christmas trees and old or damaged Christmas tree lights.

Damaged wires

Grant said shorted-out Christmas tree lights and extension-cord abuse have caused two fires in the district within the last two years.

A small house fire was blamed on a shorted wire on Christmas tree lights around a window, he said, and another fire on an extension cord that had been damaged by a door when used to connect lights outside to an indoor outlet.

The biggest cause of a string of lights going up in flames is improper storage, Grant said.

"Wires become shorted when tightly wrapped, causing damage to the wire," he said. "Heat builds up because the current can't get through and causes a short."

The best way to avoid damaging the cords is to store them in loose bundles and check them before using them each year, he said.

Grant said lights should be replaced periodically and old ones discarded, not resold.

When using electrical power strips to connect more appliances to wall sockets, Grant advised not exceeding the voltage limits of such devices by looking at the Underwriters Laboratory (UL) label for each appliance.

Morgan warned consumers to use imported candle holders carefully, as they are not constructed with U.S. fire safety codes in mind.

Fire extinguishers

He said fires in Cape Girardeau have started when such candle holders broke when a candle burned.

Morgan recommends every kitchen have a 5-pound ABC-type fire extinguisher within easy reach.

"With all the extra cooking going on during the holidays, things can get overcooked," he said.

Also, Morgan said be aware of lighters and matches visitors may bring into a home where there are children. Curious youngsters are drawn to them and could be injured or inadvertently start a fire using them.

Families should have an escape plan in the event of a fire, he said, and parents should teach children how to safely leave a burning building if separated from adults.

"Err on the side of safety," he said. "It's your life."

carel@semissourian.com

335-6611, extension 127