The Arizona Republic Phoenix Community edition features a monthly column written by Fire Chief Bob Khan

City of Phoenix Public Information Office - News Clippings - azcentral.com - November 30, 2007

Don't Let Your Holiday Season Go Up in Flames

We all probably sat and watched the various news reports of the recent fires in California and saw the people who were rummaging through what used to be their homes, trying to make sense of such a traumatic situation.  Oftentimes we talk about the importance of everyone surviving the fire and getting out alive, but in the end a home is part of that family unit and can be as devastating as the loss of a loved one.  Sadly, in Southern California there were more than 3,000 structures destroyed and countless families displaced. 

Locally, we are about to enter into the second phase of our seasonal residential fires.  Dramatic rises or drops in temperature in the Sonoran Desert can lead to these types of incidents.  Ambient temperatures in excess of 105 degrees or less than 40 degrees can create the potential for local residential fires.  It’s pretty visible when we see the brush fires and large-scale ordinary combustible fires that are preheated to 110 degrees.  This time of year supplemental heating in the form of space heaters, warming fires, and sadly, sometimes, camping equipment can take a family’s home and many times a family member’s life.

Phoenix firefighters see all of these types of incidents from November through March and there are basic mistakes that people make trying to stay warm or decorating their homes for the holidays.  In some parts of the United States candle fires have surpassed kitchen fires as the number one cause of residential destruction. 

Most times your neighborhood firefighters will tell you that plus or minus one or two bad decisions the fire could have been prevented.  Let’s go through a to do list:

1. Never leave burning candles unattended.
2. Don’t leave food cooking on the stove and leave the house.
3. Don’t use an extension cord with a space heater.
4. Don’t use space heaters as central heating.
5. Be careful not to overload your fireplace.
6. And never use camping equipment such as camp stoves as supplemental heating in your house.   It can cause carbon monoxide poisoning and start a fire.

Although this has been a mild fall, those cold temperatures are right around the corner.  I, like some people, use a space heater to supplement heat in my home. I have also been known to throw a log in the fireplace and have candles burning, but all these things can lead to fires so we have to be sure to use these things the way they are meant to be used. 

The Underwriters Laboratories (UL) is an agency that tests and certifies thousands of products that we use every day.  For over a century, UL has tested products for the public’s safety.  “Underwriters Laboratories is woven into the fabric of society.  By the time a consumer in Phoenix leaves for work in the morning, they have benefited from over 120 products that have been UL tested.  This includes their mattress, toaster, smoke alarms, security system and drywall just to name a few.  UL makes society safer,” says Chris Hasbrook, Vice President and General Manager, Global Fire and Security Sector of Underwriters Laboratories, Inc.   “We really value our partners like the Phoenix Fire Department and Chief Bob Khan whose proactive approach towards safety in his community mirrors the mission of UL.” 

When you go to sleep at night, make sure all those ignition sources are off -- whether it’s a candle, a fireplace, or a space heater.  It’s a really good way to wake up in the morning and not have us visit you in the middle of the night.  Be safe!

Log on to www.ul.com for more information about Underwriters Laboratories or to check the safety compliance of products in your home.

Send comments to Bob Khan at firechief.pfd@phoenix.gov or call (602) 26-CHIEF.