Halloween is finally upon us! Nothing helps the Frisco, Highland Village, and Dallas residents get in the Halloween spirit, like the leaves changing, spooky decorations, and finding the perfect costume to go trick-or-treating. Although October is a fun month full of autumn activities and cool weather, many people do not know that some Halloween festivities can also pose as a fire threat. In fact, according to the National Fire Protection Association, over 800 house fires per year are caused on Halloween night due to fall decorations igniting. These fall holiday fires lead to costly damages, destroying homes and causing over $13 million dollars in fire damages. In order to avoid preventable fires this Halloween, there are a couple of things you can do to keep yourself and your family safe. Unfortunately, our favorite Halloween and fall decorations, such as Jack-o’-lanterns, paper ghosts, and hay bales, are fire hazards. There are some costumes your children should avoid that are flammable and dangerous. Look over our Halloween fire safety tips to get the most out of your Halloween this October.
Halloween Decoration Safety
We love driving through the neighborhoods of Frisco and Highland Village to see homes decorated with corn stalks, black cats, and Jack-o’-lanterns. However, some of our favorite fall decorations can actually be very dangerous.
- Keep all decorations away from a heat source – No matter what you use to decorate your home for Halloween this season, keep them away from a heat source. NFPA reported that nearly half of decoration fires in homes occur because the decorations are too close to a heat source. Now that fall weather is here, you are likely using electricity, gas, or a fireplace to heat up your home. Be sure to keep your decorations away from these sources!
- Be mindful of candles – Many people like to use real candles to light up their Jack-o’-lanterns or paper lanterns. We suggest using battery-operated lights that look like candles in order to avoid serious fire hazards. Use extreme caution if you choose to use real candles. Do not allow children or pets near the lit candles because they can easily be knocked over and cause flammable items to catch fire.
- Keep all decorations away from exits – A popular way to decorate for Halloween is to cover doors with fake spiderwebs and hanging streamers. Be sure to keep exits clear of decorations to be sure there are no obstacles blocking an escape route in case of emergencies
- Costumes – Be sure that you and your children’s costumes do not have any extra hanging elements or long trails of fabric (long capes, tails, etc.). Fabric can easily get caught in a nearby fireplace, Jack-o’-lanterns, or bonfires.
- Practice Fire Safety Precautions – Talk to your children and remind them to stay away from open flames, including jack-o’-lanterns with candles inside. Provide them with flashlights or glow sticks to carry for lighting as part of their costume.Make sure that all of your smoke alarms are working properly. Go over with the members of your family what to do in the case of a fire emergency. Be sure that children understand the rules of Stop, Drop, and Roll.
Mr. Restore wants everyone to enjoy their Halloween festivities. Remember, stay safe this Halloween and follow all fire safety precautions. If you find yourself in the unfortunate event of fire damage this Halloween season, immediately contact Mr. Restore. We have over 50 years of fire damage experience, and our expert technicians will ensure you and your family recover quickly from any fire damage your property may experience. Mr. Restore is a full-service restoration company, meaning we not only assess and fix the damage to your home, but we also repair and build afterward.
