Enjoying the holiday season

For many of us, this time of year means our homes are filled with festive decorations, candles and lights. While these can help create a warm and joyful atmosphere, they can also increase the risk of fire, so it’s important to take a few simple precautions to keep safe.

Decorations:

• Check your Christmas lights are in good condition by checking there are no bare wires or signs of scorch marks
• Avoid overloading your sockets with electrical equipment
• Keep lights away from tinsel, paper or other decorations
• Ensure all lights are turned off before you go to bed, and that any candles are safely put out
• Fire doors shouldn’t be used to hang decorations. Keeping them clear and without any hooks or screws will make sure they work properly if a fire did happen
• If you live in a scheme with communal areas, please contact your Independent Living Housing Officer if you’d like to put up decorations in the communal lounge.

General fire safety:

• Please check your smoke detectors on a regular basis. This is especially important at Christmas as there are generally more combustible items in your home
• Make sure you’re aware of what to do if there’s a fire in your home, and within any communal areas if applicable. This will be detailed on fire action notices throughout the communal areas if applicable.
• If you have any concerns about fire safety or how you’d evacuate then please contact your Housing Officer or Independent Living Housing Officer.

It’s also important to recognise that Christmas can be a difficult time for some people, particularly where tensions or domestic abuse are present. If you or someone you know is in immediate danger, please call 999. For non-emergencies, you can call 101 or contact the National Domestic Abuse Helpline on 0808 2000 247, which is available 24/7.

You can also reach out to us for advice and support, and we can refer you to specialist agencies where needed. More information, including how to contact us safely, is available on our Domestic Abuse webpage.