Stay safe this Halloween with NFPA’s fire safety tips

October 20, 2017 – Halloween is creeping up on us. The rush is on to find the
perfect pumpkin, the spookiest costume, and the best candy for trick-or-treaters.
However, along with all this excitement comes potential fire hazards related to
seasonal decor and costumes. Fortunately, fire risks can be avoided by following the
National Fire Protection Association’s (NFPA) Halloween safety precautions.

“Halloween brings out creativity in people of all ages. Children enjoy dressing up
and going door-to-door collecting candy, and adults go all out decorating their
homes with spooky accents,” said Lorraine Carli, NFPA’s vice president of Outreach
and Advocacy. “The festivities, however, can be dampened if the proper safety
measures are not put in place ahead of time and while out canvassing the
neighborhood for treats.”

From 2011-2015, U.S. fire departments responded to an estimated average of 840 home
structure fires per year that began with decorations. These fires caused an average
of 2 civilian deaths, 36 civilian injuries, and $11.4 million in direct property
damage, per year. Fire can start when candles are too close to decorations or when
long, trailing costumes come into contact with candles.

To safely enjoy the Halloween holiday, NFPA has created a Halloween safety video
that emphasizes preparedness and the importance of flame-resistant costumes and
decorations. NFPA also offers parents and teachers tip sheets, kids’ activities, a
pumpkin-carving template and more at the Sparky the Fire Dog® website. NFPA’s simple
Halloween fire safety tip graphic is also great for sharing on social media so that
people can enjoy a spooky and safe Halloween.

To ensure that your loved ones and home are free of fire this Halloween season,
follow these safety guidelines:

Candles
• Refrain from having an open flame.
• Use battery-operated candles or glow-sticks in your jack-o-lanterns.

Costumes:
• Choose the right costume. Try to stay away from long or flowing fabric, and remain
vigilant of extraneous costume pieces.

Decorations:
• Avoid flammable decorations including dried flowers, cornstalks and crepe paper
that are highly flammable.
• Keep decorations away from open flames and other heat sources, including light
bulbs and heaters.

Exits:
• Remember to keep all decorations away from doors so that they are not blocking any
exits or escape routes.

Smoke Alarms:
• Make sure all of your smoke alarms are working and up to date.

Visibility:
• Provide flashlights to children or have children carry glow sticks as part of
their costumes.
• Make sure if a child is wearing a mask that the eye holes are large enough so he
or she can see out of them.

For this release and other announcements about NFPA initiatives, research and
resources, please visit the NFPA press room.

About the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA)
Founded in 1896, NFPA is a global, nonprofit organization devoted to eliminating
death, injury, property and economic loss due to fire, electrical and related
hazards. The association delivers information and knowledge through more than 300
consensus codes and standards, research, training, education, outreach and advocacy;
and by partnering with others who share an interest in furthering the NFPA mission.
For more information, visit www.nfpa.org. All NFPA codes and standards can be viewed
online for free at www.nfpa.org/freeaccess.

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