Candle tips for this winter

Winter brings its own unique safety challenges to everyone, more so to residents in the informal settlements.

To make sure that family members, especially children and the elderly are protected against the hazards of fires and burns this winter, Ekurhuleni Disaster and Emergency Management Services (DEMS) has compiled a list of tips it hopes the public will take seriously this winter.

“If we all prepare and practise safety we can benefit by simply taking precautions when dealing with some of the day-to-day hazards presented to us during the winter season,” said William Ntladi of the Ekurhuleni DEMS.

Ntladi also urged communities to be vigilant at all times both inside and outside their homes towards the dangers presented by fire. “The theme in every home should be to use information to educate families about the dangers of the misuse of heat energy sources in our homes,” explained Ntladi.

Citing some of the common dangers posed by heat and lighting energy in our homes, Ntladi described candles as the number one cause of fire accidents in winter. He urged households where candles are the source of lighting to be extremely cautious in winter.

“Candles may be pretty to look at, but are the main cause of home fires and home deaths in winter. Remember, a candle is an open flame, which means that it can easily ignite anything that can burn. Candles may be a source of light in the home, but they can also be the main source of grief or even death and for this reason, people should handle candles with care,” said Ntladi.

Here are some guidelines:

r Place the candle on a heat-resistant surface, as they can melt plastics.

r Place a candle in a candle-holder. It must be held firmly upright by the holder so it will not fall over. The holder must be stable so it won’t fall over either.

r Place a candle away from the curtains. Keep them out of draughts.

r Don’t place a candle under a shelf. Make sure that there is at least one metre between a candle and any surface above it.

r Do not move a candle while it is burning. Extinguish it before you move it and also don’t let anything fall into the hot wax, such as matchsticks.

r Blow out all the candles when you leave the room or go to bed.

r Avoid the use of candles in the bedroom and other areas where people sleep.

r Never leave children alone in a room with a burning candle.

r Keep matches and lighters up high and out of the reach of children, or in a locked cabinet.

Your motto should be, “If you don’t know how to operate it, leave it”.

This should be a guideline for people who do not know how to deal with fire hazard situations. It is also important to understand that fires are caused by negligence and lack of understanding of heat sources. “It is always the attitude of individuals which also contributes to the number of fires that are experienced in the informal settlements, formal housings, as well as in industrial and commercial environments,” explained Ntladi.

Important numbers to call in the event of fire or an emergency;

EMERGENCY NUMBER: 10177: National Toll-Free Number

Cell Phone: 112

Life Threatening Ekurhuleni Emergency Line: (011) 458- 0911