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TUESDAY, DECEMBER 21, 1976
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PUBLIC URGED TO TAKE EXTRA FIRE PRECAUTIONS
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A FIRE SERVICES DEPARTMENT SPOKESMAN TODAY APPEALED TO MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC TO TAKE EXTRA FIRE PRECAUTIONS DURING CHRISTMAS WHICH IS ONLY A FEW DAYS AWAY.
+BY TAKING THAT LITTLE EXTRA CARE, YOU COULD MAKE YOUR HOME FREE OF THE RISK OF FIRE, HE SAID.
CHRISTMAS TREES, DECORATED WITH COLOURED LIGHTS AND GIFT PACKAGES, OFTEN ADD TO FIRE HAZARDS IN THE HOME, HE POINTED OUT.
HE ADVISED THE PUBLIC TO USE NON-COMBUSTIBLE DECORATING MATERIALS, WHERE POSSIBLE, TO REDUCE FIRE RISK.
+CHECK ALL TREE LIGHTING SETS, ELECTRIC CANDLES AND SIMILAR LIGHTING EQUIPMENT, AS WELL AS EXTENSION CORDS FOR FRAYED WIRES, LOOSE CONNECTIONS AND BROKEN SOCKETS,+ HE URGED. FURTHERMORE ALL ILLUMINATIONS SHOULD BE SWITCHED OFF BEFORE GOING OUT OR TO BED.+
THE SPOKESMAN REMINDED THOSE WHO WERE GOING TO THROW PARTIES AT HOME TO PROVIDE PLENTY OF LARGE AND SAFE ASHTRAYS.
IN HOMES, HE EMPHASISED, A COMBINATION OF ACTIVE CHILDREN AND PREOCCUPIED PARENTS SOMETIMES ALLOW THAT ONE MOMENT OF CARELESSNESS WHICH IS ALL THAT FIRE NEEDS.
+SMALL CHILDREN PLAYING NEAR THE TREES SHOULD THEREFORE BE SUPERVISED,+ HE STRESSED. +THEY SHOULD NEVER BE LEFT UNATTENDED AT ANY TIME, BUT ON OCCASIONS WHEN IT BECOMES UNAVOIDABLE, MAKE SURE THAT ALL MATCHES, LIGHTERS AND CANDLES ARE KEPT WELL OUT OF THE IR REACH.+
+A FEW PRECAUTIONS TAKEN NOW COULD PREVENT TRAGEDY STRIKING DURING THE HOLIDAYS, HE ADDED.
MEANWHILE, FIRE OFFICERS WILL BE VISITING AS FROM TODAY ALL RESTAURANTS AND NIGHTCLUBS TO GIVE ADVICE ON HOW TO PREVENT FIRE AND TO ENSURE THAT FIRE SAFETY STANDARDS IN SUCH PLACES ARE BEING PROPERLY MAINTAINED.
THEY WILL PAY PARTICULAR ATTENTION TO THE MEANS OF ESCAPE AND THE FIRE SERVICE INSTALLATIONS IN THESE ESTABLISHMENTS WHERE THE PUBLIC ARE LIKELY TO ASSEMBLE IN LARGE NUMBERS.