Use annual end of daylight saving time to protect against home fires

“For decades, we’ve heard the saying ‘change the clock, change the batteries,’ and while it’s important to check smoke alarms, we encourage Missourians to go much further and also step up the precautions they take against fires and how they would respond to a fire,”  Acting State Fire Marshal Matt Luetkemeyer said. “Dropping temperatures, heaters kicking on and holiday festivities all help make December and January the most dangerous months for residential fires. Many of these fires can be prevented if we plan ahead.” 

 Luetkemeyer pointed to these factors and related safety measures:
Cooking: Cooking is the leading cause of home fires. Thanksgiving is the leading day of the year for home cooking fires, which can increase by over 300% from the daily average (Christmas Eve and Christmas Day rank second and third as the most dangerous days for cooking fires.
     Stay in the kitchen while you are frying, boiling, grilling, or broiling food. Turn off the stove if you leave the kitchen. Keep food packaging, towels and anything that can burn away from the stovetop. On the stovetop, smother flames by sliding a lid over the pan and turning off the burner. Leave the pan covered until it is completely cooled. Have a fire extinguisher in the kitchen. More Cooking Safety Tips.

Heating Equipment: Heating equipment accounts for over 10% of all home fires. Space heaters and heating stoves account for almost half of heating fires and almost three-quarters of heating-related fire deaths.
     Keep anything that can burn at least three feet from any heating source. Plug only one heating appliance (like a space heater) into an electrical outlet at a time. Never use multi-plugs or power strips with a space heater. Turn off space heaters when you leave a room. Never use your oven to heat your home. Install and test carbon monoxide alarms at least once a month. More Heating Equipment Tips. 

Candles: Candle fires quadruple during the winter holiday season. Christmas, Christmas Eve, and New Year’s Day are the top three days for candle-related structure fires. Candles are believed to be responsible for about one-half of decoration-related fires. 
    Flameless candles are safer than real candles. Blow out candles when you leave a room or go to bed. Avoid the use of candles in the bedroom and other areas where people may fall asleep. Keep candles at least one foot away from anything that can burn. Only use sturdy candleholders that won’t tip and put them on solid, uncluttered surfaces. Have flashlights and battery-powered lighting ready to use during a power outage, instead of candles, which are even more hazardous if used as the primary lighting source. More Candle Safety Tips. 

 Christmas Trees and Holiday Decorations: Almost half of Christmas tree and decoration fires involve electrical distribution or decorative lighting equipment.
       Artificial trees are safer than real trees. If you prefer a real tree, make sure it’s fresh (needles don’t fall off when touched). Keep a tree at least three feet from any type of heat source. Never place a tree where it would block an exit. Always turn off tree lights before leaving the house or going to bed. More Christmas Tree Safety Tips.

Because not all fires can be prevented, every family should have a fire escape plan: Each member of the household should know two ways out of each room. Make sure escape routes are clear of debris and windows open easily. Designate an outdoor meeting place for the family. Regularly practice escape routes with all members of the family. The family escape plan should be discussed with overnight guests, since deadly residential fires occur most often at night and in the early morning hours.