Fire Marshal Reminds Residents To Handle Candles With Care
Candle Safety Day is observed on the second Monday of December, and State Fire Marshal Peter J. Ostroskey is reminding residents to follow safety guidelines as we enter the period when most candle fires start.
“There have been more than 1,000 candle fires in Massachusetts over the past 10 years,†State Fire Marshal Ostroskey said. “Together, they caused nine deaths, 192 injuries, and over $32 million in damages. More of these fires started in December than in any other month, and especially on the days leading up to Christmas. If candles are part of your celebration or decoration, be sure to use them carefully.â€
Candles are part of many holiday traditions this time of year, including Christmas, Hanukkah, and Kwanzaa. State Fire Marshal Ostroskey offered the following safety tips to reduce the risk of fire:
• No matter the season, have working smoke alarms on every level of your home, outside bedrooms, at the top of open stairs, and at the base of cellar stairs.
• Keep a one-foot “circle of safety†around candles, free of anything that can burn.
• Always extinguish candles when you leave the room or go to sleep, and don’t leave them unattended.
• Use a non-combustible saucer or candleholder.
• Keep candles out of reach of children and pets, and store matches and lighters up high where kids can’t access them.
•Consider switching to battery-operated flameless candles.
There were 93 candle fires in Massachusetts last year and 75 took place in residential settings. The most common location was the bedroom, followed by the kitchen, bathroom, and living room. One such fire in Boston began when a candle ignited bedroom curtains and spread, causing half a million dollars in damages and displacing five people from their home.
“Candle fires peaked in Massachusetts in 1999, when we recorded 342 of them,†State Fire Marshal Ostroskey said. “The following year, we began observing Candle Safety Day on the second Monday of December to promote awareness of the problem. Since that time, we’ve observed a 73% decrease in candle fires. Let’s continue to practice safe candle use, especially around the holidays.â€
For more candle safety resources, including Spanish-language information, visit the DFS website.
Postal Service Has Extended Retail Hours at Many Post Offices for The Holidays
At the Postal Service, we know the holidays are a hectic time of year. To make shipping convenient for customers, the Postal Service is extending hours at Post Offices across the nation.
Select Postal facilities in the Massachusetts / Rhode Island District are extending their hours and will provide full retail services, including stamp sales and package acceptance. Customers may click this link 2022 USPS Post Office Holiday Closings & Hours | USPS for the USPS holiday service schedule. Enter a ZIP Code to search for a Post Office near you to see the available services and holiday hours.
The Postal Service is focused on delivering for our nation this holiday season.
The MA / RI District serves ZIP Codes 010 through 029
