Ring in the new year – safely!

Make fire prevention part of your 2024 resolutions

The countdown to the new year is on, which means you may be getting ready to enjoy festivities with friends and family to mark the occasion. Whether you’re going out or staying in, the City of Vaughan is reminding everyone to keep fire safety top of mind this evening.

To help ensure your New Year’s Eve is fire free, follow these safety tips from Vaughan Fire and Rescue Service:

• Stay in the kitchen when cooking. Turn off the stove if you must step away. 
• Choose safer alternatives like battery-operated candles, flashlights and glow sticks instead of traditional candles as decorations. If you must use candles, never leave them unattended and keep them well away from children, pets and anything that can burn.
• Remember to keep exits clear of decorations to ensure nothing blocks your escape routes in the event of a fire. 
• Make sure children know to “stop, drop and roll” if their clothing does catch fire – stop immediately, drop to the ground, cover your face with your hands and roll over and over to extinguish flames.
• Remember, extension cords are for temporary use only. Use the right one for the job – there are special extension cords for outdoor use.
• Never overload electrical outlets with too many plugs – use an approved power bar.
• Check the cords of your decorative lights – discard any sets that are frayed or damaged. Test your smoke alarms to make sure they work, and ensure the batteries are new.

Remember, fireworks are only permitted tonight if you have a permit. As outlined in the City’s Fireworks and Pyrotechnics By-law 089-2022 (PDF), the only days Vaughan residents may set off fireworks without a permit are Victoria Day and Canada Day. That means a permit must be obtained from the City to light fireworks in a private, at-home display in Vaughan on all other days of the year, including New Years Eve. They must end by 10 p.m. on the permitted day (except on Victoria Day and Canada Day when they must end by 11 p.m.).

For more fire safety tips, visit vaughan.ca/fire. 

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