Belleville Fire and Emergency Services is reminding residents to take extra safety precautions over the holidays.
Fire Chief Dan Smith says first and foremost, make sure your smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors are working because they do save lives.
He also urges people to use lithium-ion batteries safely.
“Everybody’s got these new batteries, whether its scooters, for their power drills whatever. Our biggest piece that we want to stress is use the approved cord that it came with. Don’t makeshift something. Don’t buy the after-market product. It can cause overheating and cause fires.”
Deputy Fire Chief Kyle Christopher says extension cords can also be a hazard.
“I know everyone’s plugging in Christmas lights, decorations, all that kind of stuff. You know, make sure you’re using approved extension cords whether they’re CSA ULC, ETL approved and don’t overload them. If they’re damaged, discard them.”
Other tips include watering real trees daily, extinguishing candles when you leave the room, don’t leave cooking pots or pans unattended and don’t store anything on top of your stove.
Chief Smith also says to plan an escape route in the event of a fire.
