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Valentine’s Day is almost upon us and cupid has his arrow targeting many couples to create an evening filled with love and romance. Some of the most popular components of these romantic evenings are candlelight, snuggling in front of a warm, glowing fire and of course a lovingly prepared home cooked dinner.   Aside from the romantic ambiance, these elements also have something else in common…fire hazard.  

The last thing anyone wants to spoil a beautiful, romantic evening with your partner is to have to call the fire department to extinguish an accidental fire.  

Foley Restoration DKI would like to offer these easy fire safety tips to ensure your evening fans the flames of desire…not the flames of a fire!

First and foremost – ensure your smoke and carbon monoxide alarms have recently been tested and are working.  If you haven’t tested them lately, do it now!

CANDLES
•    Always treat candles with care and never leave a burning candle unattended in a room
•    Ensure the candles are places on a sturdy, non-combustible surface where they can’t be tipped over and that they are placed in proper holders
•    Never place candles near windows, bedding, shower curtains, books or magazines
•    Avoid placing candles on night stands, high traffic areas or on stairs 
•    Do not place candles under shelves or lamps 
•    Always properly extinguish candles before retiring for the night
•    Of course the safest option is to use flameless, battery powered candles.  There are some very realistic looking ones out there these days

FIREPLACE
•    Plan for your romantic evening and ensure your chimney has been cleaned and inspected as Creosote can build up and cause a fire
•    Ensure there are no cracks in your chimney where fire can get through
•    Always have a properly fitting screen placed in front of your fireplace
•    If it is a gas fireplace, ensure it has been checked to prevent carbon monoxide leaks 
•    Again, make sure the fire is put out before you retire for the evening

COOKING
•    Stay in the kitchen while you are preparing your food on the stove and pay attention to what is happening there.  Distraction in the kitchen can end in disaster
•    Most cooking fires are grease fires.  If you are faced with a grease fire in the pan, don’t panic! Keep properly fitting lids near the stove so you can easily slide it onto the flaming pan and extinguish the flames and turn off the burner. NEVER add water! 
•    Know the ingredients you are cooking with.  Not all oils heat up the same and they each have different ignition temperatures.
•    If deep frying is on the menu, do it in a proper deep fryer…don’t improvise.
•    Do not wear loose, flowing fabrics while cooking as these can easily catch on fire 
•    Never leave pot holders, oven mitts or tea towels near the burners where they can ignite
•    Keep pan handles turned inward so they can’t be knocked or bumped off the stove
•    Ensure all burners and oven are turned off before you leave the kitchen to enjoy your meal