NASHVILLE – Halloween gives families and neighbors an opportunity to mark the arrival of autumn and make memories with parties, get-togethers, and trick-or-treating.
Unfortunately, many Halloween decorations rely on open flames or electricity, which pose home fire risks. Whether it’s a candle that might be used inside a jack-o’-lantern or the electrical equipment found in flashing, inflatable, or mechanical outdoor decorations, a stray spark or overloaded outlet can cause a very scary home fire.
To help keep consumers safe, the Tennessee Department of Commerce & Insurance (TDCI) and the Tennessee State Fire Marshal’s Office (SFMO) remind Tennesseans to focus on fire safety to avoid a home fire that can ruin the Halloween season.
“As the weather finally cools off and Tennesseans begin to get into the Halloween spirit, I remind residents to make sure that all decorations – whether they’re used indoors or outdoors – are always used safely and correctly in order in avoid a potentially tragic home fire,” said TDCI Commissioner and State Fire Marshal Carter Lawrence.
Here are a few tips that Tennesseans should remember when decorating for Halloween.
- Use extension cords properly. Extension cords come in many shapes, sizes, and load ratings. Make sure that your extension cord is rated for outdoor use. Damaged extension cords should always be taken out of service and never patched with electrical tape.
- Use battery-operated candles or glow sticks in jack-o’-lanterns. If you use a real candle, use extreme caution and do not leave the candle unattended. Make sure children are supervised at all times when candles are lit.
- Utilize GFCI protection on outdoor decorations. Ground-fault circuit-interrupter (GFCI) protection is a critical component to safety when both water and electricity coincide. These devices have the ability to sense an imbalance in an electrical current path and turn off the power before an electric shock has time to occur. All electrically powered outdoor decorations and equipment should utilize GFCI protection. This can be done by plugging into an outdoor GFCI receptacle on a home, if available, or through the use of an inline GFCI cord set. Regardless of the type of GFCI protection being utilized for Halloween decorations, they should be tested before each use to ensure their functionality.
- Only use rated and listed products. Homeowners should ensure that they are buying products that are listed by qualified testing laboratories, such as UL or Intertek, among others. This means that the product has been put through a level of testing that, when used based upon their listing, will be safer for consumers to utilize.
- Preparing Halloween goodies for a party? Be mindful of your alcohol consumption while preparing food.
- Avoid flammable decorations. Traditional decorations such as dried flowers, cornstalks, and crepe paper are highly flammable. Ensure all decorations are kept away from open flames and other sources of heat such as light bulbs or space heaters.
