On the 12th day of Christmas, drink responsibly, and you'll help keep your holiday safe

The Collingwood Fire Department wants residents to have a safe and happy holiday season – emphasis on the safe.

Deputy Chief Dan Thurman is encouraging residents to remain vigilant this Christmas season and be aware of extra fire hazards common when halls are decked.

“We ask the residents of the Town of Collingwood to actively participate in the Ontario Fire Marshals' initiative, the ‘12 Days of Holiday Fire Safety,’” said Thurman.

The 12 Days of Holiday Fire Safety initiative includes 12 safety tips for the winter and holiday season.

They are as follows:

• Water fresh trees daily: keep the base of the trunk in water at all times, and keep your tree away from ignition sources such as a fireplace, heater, or candles. If you buy an artificial tree, make sure there’s a label indicating the tree is fire resistant.

• Check your lights: before putting up Christmas lights, check the cords closely and discard any that are frayed or damaged.

• Check your smoke alarms: make sure smoke alarms are working and replace alarms every 10 years. Test your alarms regularly.

• Make sure you have a working carbon monoxide alarm: carbon monoxide is invisible, odourless, and can quickly kill. Replace carbon monoxide alarms that are over seven years old. Click here for more info on carbon monoxide alarms.

• Make a plan, and tell everyone: practice your home fire escape plan with all the members of your house and make sure guests are familiar with it.

• Extension cords are temporary solutions: make sure cords never go under rugs, and only use them for short-term power.

• Give space heaters their space: just because your house is crowded, doesn’t mean your space heater should be. Keep space heaters one metre away from any flammable materials.

• Blow out candles: Christmas cookie scent is nice, but candles can take a mood from happy to devastating. If you’re leaving the room or going to bed, blow out the candles. Keep lit candles in a safe place away from flammable material, pets, and children

• Keep matches safely tucked away: remove the temptation and keep matches and lighters away from kids.

• Cook safe: inevitably, there will be much food prepared this holiday season. With a packed house, there are lots to distract a Christmas chef. Pay attention while cooking, and never leave a stove unattended. If a pot catches fire, use a lid to smother it and turn off the heat. You can use baking soda to douse the flames, but don’t use water or flour for a cooking fire.

• Smoke outside: make sure cigarette butts are properly extinguished and encourage smokers to smoke outside. According to the Ontario Association of Fire Chiefs, careless smoking is the leading cause of fatal fires.

• Drink responsibly: there’s more to responsible drinking than taking a cab home. Alcohol is a common factor in many fatal fires. Keep a close eye on anyone attempting to cook or smoke while under the influence of alcohol.

“Have a safe and happy holiday from all of us from the Collingwood Fire Department,” said Thurman.