Are your Christmas lights safe? BFP shares tips for a fire-free holiday

As Filipinos prepare to celebrate the yuletide season, the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) shared some tips on how to make sure their Christmas lights are safe to use.

According to Dano Tingcungco’s report in “24 Oras” on Thursday, the BFP and the Department of Trade Industry advised the public to only buy high quality Christmas lights, particularly those with Philippine Standards and ICC marks. 

“Huwag magtipid sa Christmas lights. Para sigurado lang na ligtas ang lahat at di pa tayo makadamay sa ibang pamahayan,” said BFP-NCR spokesperson F/Supt. Jude Delos Reyes.

(Don't be too cheap when buying Christmas lights. Just to be sure that everyone is safe and we do not also involve other households.) 

The BFP also advised everyone to always check their old Christmas lights. 

“Kung nabili yan last year pa not everyone has a good storage, ‘yung iba napapansin namin, for example sa bahay lang namin, ‘pag tanggal ko sa aming mga old decors, decorative lights,or Christmas lights, marami na siyang mga cobwebs, marami ng dusts, and these are very combustible,” said Delos Reyes. 

(If those were bought last year, not everyone has good storage. What we observe, for example, just in our house, when I remove our old decors, decorative lights, or Christmas lights, it already has many cobwebs, a lot of dust, and these are very combustible.) 

“Gusto ko masigurado ko na safe ang members ng aking pamilya, then I will not be using it anymore,” he added. 

(If I want to ensure the safety of my family members, then I will not be using it anymore.) 

Further, the fire bureau said Christmas lights must be turned off in the wee hours, especially when everyone is already asleep.  

“Kung binabad na kasi natin ‘yun at sumobra na sa operating capacity, the tendency is umiinit din yung wire kasi that is a live current. Kung hindi natin pagpahingahin ‘yun it will come to a moment where nagkakaroon siya ng overheating. So mas maganda talaga kung  bigyan ng breather…magpahinga ng one hour or two hours,” said Delos Reyes. 

(I we leave the lights on continuously and it exceeds its operating capacity, there is a tendency that the wire will heat up because that is a live current. If we do not let it rest, it will come to a moment where overheating could occur. So it is really better to give it a breather...let it rest for one hour or two hours.) 

The BFP added to check Christmas lights when it gets wet by the rain, even though some brands claim to be built for all types of weather. 

The public was also reminded to unplug any electric devices, including Christmas lights, when leaving on a trip. 

“Maaaring di natin alam kung anong nangyayari sa loob bahay, lalong-lalo na kapag may mga pests or certain animals around. Minsan ito ay napaglaruan, kinakagat, and maaring mag-cause ito ng sunog,” said Delos Reyes. 

(We might not know what is happening inside the house, especially when there are pests or certain animals around. Sometimes it is played with, bitten, and this may cause a fire.) 

The BFP shared the tips after there were incidents of faulty Christmas lights that caused fire. 

For instance, a Christmas decoration at a municipal hall in Subic, Zambales began exploding. Witnesses said that it sparked several times before it caught fire. Fortunately, local public safety personnel were able to immediately respond before the situation became worse. —Vince Angelo Ferreras/RF, GMA Integrated News