Escambia County Shares Christmas and New Year's Holiday Safety Tips

With Christmas and New Year's quickly approaching, Escambia County encourages residents to make safety a top priority this holiday season by following the safety tips below.

Christmas Safety Tips

While Thanksgiving is the peak day for cooking-related fires at home, Christmas Day and Christmas Eve rank second and third, respectively, for home fires caused by cooking.

Fire Safety Tips

• Always have working smoke alarm in your home. For information about obtaining a home smoke alarm, call 850-595-HERO (4376). City of Pensacola residents may call 850-436-5200 for assistance with the installation of a smoke alarm.
• Have an escape plan and know two ways out of every room in your home.
• In the event of a fire, call 911, even if you think the fire is out.
• Never leave cooking food unattended. If you must leave the room, turn the stove off first.
• Do not panic if a pan catches on fire. Place a lid over the pan, turn the heat source off and let the pan cool.
• If a fire occurs in your oven, leave the door closed and turn the oven off to prevent the fire from spreading.
• Keep children at least three feet away from the stove.
• Never wear loose clothing while cooking.
• Keep the area around the stove clear of anything that can burn, including packaging, paper towels and dishcloths.
• Turn pot handles toward the back of the stove so you don't bump them.

Cooking Fire Statistics

Based on 2020-2024 annual averages in the United States:

• 66% of home-cooking fires start with the ignition of food or other cooking materials.
• Ranges or cooktops account for over half (51%) of home cooking fires.
• Unattended equipment is a factor in 25% of reported home cooking fires and half of the associated deaths.

*Information provided by the National Fire Protection Association

New Year's Safety Tips

As numerous Floridians choose to purchase their own fireworks, the number of residential structure fires has increased during holidays that are celebrated with fireworks. Between 2017 and 2024, Escambia County experienced nine residential structure fires caused by fireworks. Seven of those fires were caused by fireworks that were improperly disposed of after their use.

Residents are also encouraged to use caution while using sparklers. According to the NFPA, sparklers alone account for more than 25% of emergency room visits for fireworks injuries. For children under 5 years of age, sparklers accounted for nearly half of the total estimated injuries.

If you decide to celebrate New Year's at home with sparklers, it's important to know sparklers burn at temperatures of about 2,000 degrees - as hot as a blowtorch and hot enough to melt some metals. Here are some helpful tips to minimize your chance of accident or injury:

• Only purchase state-approved sparklers from licensed vendors.
• Prior to use, be sure to read and follow all warnings and instructions.
• Only light sparklers on a flat, smooth surface away from combustible materials. Do not light them on grass.
• Keep a fire extinguisher or water hose on hand for emergencies.
• Never have any portion of your body directly over the sparkler when lighting the fuse.
• Never allow children to play with or use any sparkler or novelty device without supervision.
• Do not use any unwrapped item that may have been tampered with.
• Light only one item at a time and never attempt to re-light a "dud."
• Discard all products safely. Submerge used and "dud" sparklers in water prior to placing in household trash receptacles.

The safest way to enjoy fireworks with your family is to view a public fireworks display. The Pensacola Beach Chamber of Commerce is hosting a free fireworks display at Pensacola Beach on New Year's Eve. The fireworks begin at midnight and will take place overlooking the Santa Rosa Sound from the Pensacola Beach Boardwalk.

Follow Escambia County Fire Rescue on Facebook and Instagram for more fire safety tips this holiday season.