Festive safety

Advice and guidance for staying safe at home this festive season.

Staying safe

Over the festive and New Year period we decorate our homes, host family gatherings and catch up with friends. But year on year, we also see an increase in deaths and injuries resulting from fires in the home.  

While decorations and Christmas trees are potential fire hazards, more fires start in the kitchen than any other room in the house.

After a night out at a Christmas party or meeting up for drinks with friends, don't try to cook when you get home. Buy food on the way home instead. If you do want to make something when you get home, then it’s best to prepare cold food. A sandwich could save your life!  

If you’re tired, have been drinking, or taking drugs, you will be less alert to the signs of fire. You are more likely to fall asleep and you are less likely to wake up if a fire does start. They can also heighten feelings of disorientation, making an escape more difficult. More so if you don’t have working smoke and heat alarms in your home. 

Christmas dinner

Cooking is the biggest cause of house fires in Scotland. Considering how elaborate some Christmas meals can be, even a short distraction can easily cause a fire to start.   

Every Tuesday, you should 'push the button' to test your alarms. Keep yourself safe by making sure that your alarms are functioning.

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