Consultation for parents "Safe New Year" consultation (middle group) on the topic
SAFE NEW YEAR
Celebrating the New Year is always accompanied by a cheerful and high spirits. But celebration can give way to tragedy. Analyzing the fire situation in Russia during the New Year's celebrations, the State Fire Service notes an increase in the number of fires due to so-called “New Year's reasons.”
Pyrotechnics
A significant number of them are associated with non-compliance with fire safety measures, such as the use of open fire, the use of faulty electrical garlands, and careless handling of pyrotechnic products.
The fire safety service pays increased attention to ensuring fire safety measures during New Year's events and calls for strict compliance with the Rules for the use of pyrotechnic products. Sales of firecrackers and fireworks are allowed only in stores. Do not buy cheap pyrotechnic products at markets: they are not really tested here. There is a great chance of stumbling upon “left-handed” pyrotechnics. And it is because of it that accidents occur. According to the standards, such products must be packaged and clearly labeled in Russian indicating their fire hazard characteristics. Each package must contain instructions for use of the product, containing information about the conditions of use, methods of safe preparation for use, start-up and disposal. All pyrotechnics sold in Russia must be tested and receive a certificate of conformity. Every seller should have one of these. The document indicates the code of the selected firework and its hazard class. Classes 1-3 - for sale to everyone, 4-5 - only for companies organizing holidays that have the appropriate license.
The danger of pyrotechnic products is that their use is accompanied by the presence of open flames, sparks, and some products move in different directions over fairly long distances. The ignition ability of sparks and flames is quite high; the combustion temperature of some pyrotechnic charges exceeds 2000°C.
Safety precautions
People mainly suffer injuries and burns due to improper handling of pyrotechnic products. Do not give fireworks to children. By the way, children most often suffer from throwing firecrackers at each other. Therefore, parents are obliged to tell them about the danger. No one will compensate you for possible losses if the purchase was not used according to the instructions. Here are general tips for all products:
● make sure that within the radius of the danger zone there are no houses, trees, power lines - nothing that could be hit by a volley and change its direction; when starting, never lean over the box;
● after lighting the fuse, go beyond the radius of the danger zone. For pyrotechnic products of the 1st class - this is 0.5 meters, for the 2nd - 5 meters, for the 3rd - 20 meters;
● do not launch products in strong winds, especially if they are flying “bees”, “butterflies”, “parachutes”;
● do not carry firecrackers in your pockets;
● do not hold the wick near your face while lighting;
● do not point rockets and fireworks at people;
● do not throw firecrackers at your feet;
● do not lean over lit fireworks.
Christmas tree
✓ When buying an artificial tree, make sure it is fire resistant. This should be written in the attached documentation. The packaging must indicate that the Christmas tree is made of fire-resistant polyethylene or plastic. Be sure to ask the seller for a hygiene certificate. It certifies the chemical safety of the product. Otherwise, there is no guarantee that you will be breathing toxic substances throughout the holidays.
✓ A live Christmas tree must be fresh. The needles of a fresh tree are green, do not fall off or break. The spruce trunk is sticky when cut and resin exudes from it. If you lightly tap the trunk on the ground, not too many needles should fall off.
✓ Place the Christmas tree away from radiators, fireplaces and electric heaters. The spruce should not interfere with walking and should not block the passages.
✓ Cut off a few centimeters of the trunk. This will help to absorb water better, the tree will not dry out, becoming flammable, and will please you longer.
✓ Check regularly that you are drinking enough water. Remember that trees dry out faster in heated rooms.
✓ It is recommended to place the Christmas tree at a distance of at least 1 meter from the walls. There should also be at least 1 meter from the top of the tree to the ceiling; place the tree on a stable base; do not place the Christmas tree near the exit from the room. If it catches fire, the fire will cut off the path to salvation.
✓ When installing illumination, use step-down transformers or garlands with sequential connection of light bulbs with a voltage of up to 12 V and a power of no more than 25 W. The insulation of electrical wires must not be damaged; at the slightest sign of a malfunction in the illumination (heating of wires, blinking lights, sparking, etc.), turn it off immediately. The electrical network should be provided with reliable fuses.
✓ Do not decorate the Christmas tree with paper toys and cotton wool. Under no circumstances should you decorate the Christmas tree with candles or use crackers or fireworks indoors. Do not dress children in fancy dress made from flammable materials.
If the tree catches fire:
➢ turn off the power to the electric garland;
➢ call the fire department;
➢ remove people from the premises;
➢ if possible, start extinguishing the Christmas tree.
To do this, throw it on the floor, cover it with a thick cloth, and fill it with water. Throw sand and use a fire extinguisher.
➢ If the Christmas tree is artificial, under no circumstances use water to extinguish it. Synthetics melt and spread during the combustion process; the ingress of water onto the burning surface will lead to the boiling of the molten mass and the splashing of burning droplets, and, consequently, to an increase in the combustion area. Remember: burning polymers release toxic substances, so if the fire cannot be controlled within the first 30-40 seconds, leave the room.
Choosing New Year's products.
Fairy lights
❖ Before hanging on the tree, check the garlands, even if you just bought them. Make sure that all the lights are on and that the wires and sockets are not damaged.
❖ Never use electric lights on metal Christmas trees. Such a tree can be charged by faulty light bulbs, and if someone touches it, it will receive an electrical shock.
❖ If you want to use garlands outdoors, for example, to decorate windows and doors, buy products that have the appropriate certification. When decorating, hang garlands from non-conductive hooks rather than nails or tacks. Never pull or tug on a garland while hanging or removing it.
❖ Ground any lights you hang outdoors to prevent the possibility of electric shock.
❖ Turn off all lights when you go to bed or leave the house. In your absence, a short circuit may occur, which will cause a fire.
❖ Ask the seller for a certificate. Different types of garlands have different requirements. For garlands for Christmas trees installed indoors, they are the toughest. The safety certificate of such a Christmas tree decoration must also contain a link to the certificate of conformity.
❖ You should not make garlands yourself at home. This is fraught with a short circuit. At the same time, the current power increases three times, and molten droplets of conductors will scatter within a radius of ten meters, setting fire to everything that can burn.
❖ When buying garlands and toys made of paper, ask the seller whether they have undergone a special treatment that makes it difficult to ignite.
Decorations
▪ All Christmas tree decorations must be made of non-flammable or fire-resistant materials. Choose tinsel and Christmas tree decorations made of plastic or metal.
▪ Never decorate the Christmas tree with candles. Always use fire-resistant candle holders, and place candles in areas where they will not be knocked over.
▪ If there are small children in the house, avoid using sharp or breakable decorations. Decorative elements with small parts should be kept out of the reach of children to prevent them from accidentally swallowing or inhaling them. Don't use decorations that look like candy or other tempting foods - children may want to taste them.
▪ Follow the instructions on the bottle of your fake snow spray to avoid lung damage.
▪ After all the gifts have been unpacked, remove all packaging, ribbons, bags, etc. from the floor. Because of them, suffocation and fires often occur.
Safe toys
● As a gift, choose toys that suit the child’s age, abilities and interests. Toys intended for children older than your child may be dangerous.
● Read the instructions for the toy carefully before buying and giving it to your child.
● To prevent burns and electric shocks, do not give toys to children under 10 years of age that must be plugged into an electrical outlet. Battery-powered toys are more suitable for young children.
● Children under three years of age may choke on small parts from games and toys. According to safety rules, toys intended for such young children should not contain small elements at all.
● A child may have serious stomach or intestinal problems if he or she swallows a coin cell battery or magnet. Sometimes this leads to death. Therefore, keep such things away from children and immediately call an ambulance if a child does swallow something.
●Children under 8 years of age may choke on uninflated balloons and pieces from burst balloons. For your child's safety, also remove all ties and bows from toys before gifting them.
● Toys with ribbons or any long bendable parts should be at least 30 centimeters in length to reduce the risk of choking.
● When buying New Year's balls and tinsel for the Christmas tree, ask for a hygiene certificate. There are known facts when tinsel released toxic substances and could cause harm to health. Try not to skimp on buying cheap Christmas toys. Be sure to request accompanying documents: a quality certificate, an annotation in Russian, a warranty card, cash receipts and sales receipts.
Safe food
● Raw food always contains bacteria, so foods should be cooked thoroughly. It is also important to wash fruits and vegetables.
● Keep hot food and drinks away from the edge of the table, where they could easily be dropped by a small child.
● Wash your hands frequently and make sure your children do the same.
● If you have tasted food from a shared container, do not use it again without washing it.
● Always keep raw and cooked food separate. And to prepare them, use different dishes.
● Always defrost meat in the refrigerator, not at room temperature.
● Food that should be kept in the refrigerator should not be kept warm for more than two hours.
Happy guests
Clean up as soon as you see the last guest out. A small child may wake up early and taste leftover “adult” food and alcohol.
Remember that the home you have been invited to may not be safe for a child. Do not allow children to be in places where they could get into trouble.
Traveling, visiting and shopping, and even receiving gifts can strain a child’s nervous system and cause stress. You and your baby will enjoy the holidays more if you follow your usual daily routine.
Fire
● Move plants, paper, and decorations away before lighting a fire. If you are going to light a fireplace, make sure the chimney is open.
● Do not burn wrapping paper in the fireplace. If the wrapper suddenly ignites and burns intensely, the fire may ignite and cause a fire.
● In the event of a fire or the smell of smoke, you must immediately notify the fire department by calling “01” or “112” - from a mobile phone, evacuate people and take measures to extinguish the fire using available fire extinguishing means.
Happy New Year!
Christmas tree
What's a holiday without a New Year's tree? Live or artificial, the Christmas tree has always been the main attribute of the New Year. How we loved as children to touch its prickly needles with our fingers, look at the toys hanging on the branches, and admire the flickering lights of the garlands. Now she will delight the kids in the same way as she once delighted us ourselves.
Let's start with the fact that the tree should always be moistened. Every day it is necessary to water the tree if it is standing in a bucket of sand; ideally, the trunk should be in a bucket of water, but before that, cut off the trunk. A fresh trunk and regular watering of Christmas trees significantly reduces the likelihood of a Christmas tree fire. To check whether the tree is fresh and moisturized enough, try bending the needle - the needles of a moistened tree will bend easily, the needles should not fall off
For the safety of the child, first of all, you need to choose a suitable place for the New Year tree. It is better in the corner of the room so that it does not block the passage. If you have to go around the spruce branches every time, this could one day cause a child injury. Little people don't walk around the house, they run. And there should always be enough space to run from room to room. If you have a small Christmas tree that you plan to place on a hill (for example, on a bedside table), place it in such a way that the baby cannot reach it. Let him admire from the side or with you. There is a risk that, by pulling the tree by its branch, the baby will knock it over. In any case, pay special attention to securing the forest beauty, be it alive or artificial. Especially if the tree is large, right up to the ceiling. Don't limit yourself to just a standard stand or bucket of sand. Be sure to tie the trunk in two places with strong twine to the radiator, baseboard, and cornice. This way you will be sure that the tree will not fall on the baby if he decides to shake it.
It is better to put glass Christmas tree decorations on the mezzanine for now. When the child grows up, you will decorate the Christmas tree with glass balls together with him. And now, for safety reasons, toys made from unbreakable materials are more suitable for you: plastic, wood, fabric, paper, etc. Glass toys are too fragile: the baby will squeeze them a little, and they can crumble right in his hands. And when they fall, they almost always break into small, sharp fragments.
Also, make sure your child doesn’t try New Year’s tinsel on his teeth. Getting pieces of “rain” into the stomach is unlikely to benefit the little “rodent”.
Carefully check the condition of the Christmas tree garlands. If they are already old, with wires wrapped with electrical tape, if they do not work well and raise even the slightest doubt about their safety, ruthlessly replace them with new, good and high-quality ones! You must be sure that if the baby gets to the burning light bulbs, if he decides to take them with his hand, it will be absolutely safe for him. In addition, a faulty garland can cause a fire! The slightest spark can cause resin-impregnated wood to burst into flames, and the same applies to synthetic Christmas trees.
Think about how the Christmas tree garland will be plugged into the outlet. If earlier we could afford all sorts of extension cords and carrying sockets lying on the floor under the Christmas tree, now, when the baby is nearby, this is simply unacceptable! “Extra” wires and extension cords are an additional danger for a child to get caught and fall. And there should be no freely accessible sockets.
Turn off the garland at night. Do not allow children to turn it on without your permission. Keep a fire extinguisher (if you know how to use it) or a bucket of water next to the tree. If the tree catches fire, there will be no time to pick it up.
Don’t delay in disassembling and removing the Christmas tree, even if the children are against it. After just a week it becomes very dry, so any spark can lead to a fire. Considering that now mostly plastic toys are produced, in the event of a fire the smoke will be very toxic and will require immediate evacuation from the apartment. Remove the tree immediately after Christmas, without waiting for the Old New Year.
New Year's bustle
Waiting for the holiday, in addition to joyful anticipation, also brings with it the bustle of everyday life. There is no escape from this. We are in a hurry to prepare holiday dishes, clean up the apartment, iron the tablecloth and clothes, set the table, do our hair and makeup. In fact, this fuss is pleasant. The main thing is not to relax too much, forgetting that there is a nimble and curious baby hanging around. Have you ironed your festive dress? Immediately turn off the iron and put it where the baby cannot reach it. Did you style your hair with a hair dryer or curling iron? First, put away electrical appliances, and only then run “for a second” to the kitchen. Or this sometimes happens: mom is ironing, and then there’s the phone. On the days before the holidays, he usually does not shut up: all friends and relatives rush to congratulate him on the upcoming New Year. Mom throws the iron, runs to the phone, and the baby is right there. Either he will grab the hot surface with his hand, or he will pull the cord. And so that the holiday is not overshadowed by burns and other troubles, try not to let your baby out of your sight for a second and carefully monitor your own actions.
The same goes for the kitchen. On holidays, it is necessary to introduce a special combat readiness regime here. All normal security measures must not only be strictly observed, but also tightened. Because a person who is in a familiar, calm state and a fussing person are not exactly the same thing. It would be nice to keep the baby out of the kitchen while mom is cooking. If there is someone close to him who can keep him busy playing, reading a New Year's book, watching a winter cartoon, holiday coloring books and stickers, this would be the best option. But if the baby is still hanging around, make sure that he does not go near the stove with the oven running, move all dishes away from the edge of the table, especially with hot contents, turn pots and pans with handles towards the wall, or better yet, use only the far burners. Don’t forget to immediately wipe up water that spills on the floor so that your baby doesn’t slip, don’t put hot pot lids where your baby can reach them, and be careful with the steam. By the way, according to medical statistics, most holiday injuries are associated with burns (including steam). So be extremely careful, take care of yourself and your kids.
