Be Safe this Season | The Importance of Fire Safety Training For the Holiday Season
Every year, the holiday season brings warmth, celebration, and beautiful traditions – but it also brings a significant increase in fire risks at home and even in the workplace. From overloaded outlets for lighting festive decorations, wiring for heating equipment, busy stovetops in the kitchen, and even office celebrations, the combination of seasonal activities makes this time of year one of the most fire-prone.

That’s why Fire Safety Training During the Holidays is essential. With the right knowledge and hands-on skills, employees can prevent, respond to, and properly manage emergencies before they turn into life-threatening situations.

Why Fire Risks Increase During the Holiday Season

During December and the early winter months, fire departments all across Canada see a major spike in preventable incidents. Here’s why risks rise so sharply:

1. Increased Use of Decorations

Holiday décor brings joy – but can also bring some hazards.

Dry Christmas trees catch fire faster than newspapers.
Candles are responsible for a large percentage of seasonal home and workplace fires.
Lights, extension cords, and overloaded power bars can overheat and spark.

Without awareness or proper safety practices, a beautiful display can become a dangerous one.

2. Heating Equipment Runs Around the Clock

Space heaters, fireplaces, baseboards, and furnaces are all working harder during winter.

Portable heaters placed too close to décor or furniture are a leading cause of winter fires.
Chimneys and fireplaces, when not serviced or cleaned, can spark devastating structural fires.

3. Busy Kitchens & Holiday Cooking

Cooking is the #1 leading cause of holiday-season fires in Canada.

A moment of distraction can ignite stovetops or ovens.
Grease fires spread quickly when extinguished improperly.
Larger gatherings mean more food, more activity, and more opportunity for accidents.

4. Workplace Celebrations & Seasonal Stress

In offices, warehouses, and job sites:

Decorations may block exits or impede sprinkler systems.
Employees may be unfamiliar with temporary layouts or added hazards.
End-of-year busyness leads to shortcuts and reduced attention to procedures.

This is exactly why reinforcing fire safety training during the holidays becomes critical – it prepares teams to handle increased holiday risks with confidence.

How Fire Safety Training Protects Employees During the Holidays

Quality Fire Safety Training During the Holidays empowers employees to:

Recognize seasonal hazards before they escalate
Use fire extinguishers properly, including knowing which type to use
Respond calmly under pressure
Evacuate safely and lead others if needed
Reduce property damage and safeguard lives
Build a culture of awareness during a high-risk time of year

Training isn’t just about compliance – it’s about giving people the tools they need to act fast and effectively.

AIP Safety’s Fire Extinguisher Training With Live Fire Course

AIP Safety offers one of Calgary’s most comprehensive and engaging fire safety programs – the Fire Extinguisher Training With Live Fire Course, ideal for individuals and teams wanting effective Fire Safety Training During the Holidays.

Our Training Course Overview

A fire extinguisher is a critical frontline tool used to suppress or control small fires. But without proper knowledge, even the best extinguisher isn’t effective. This 4-hour course teaches participants:

How fires start
How fires spread
What type of extinguisher to use in specific situations
How to fight small fires safely
When not to fight a fire

The first half of the course is in a classroom setting with demonstrations to ensure participants understand the nature of fire and essential firefighting techniques.

The second half involves hands-on training using live fires, helping participants build confidence and real-world skills.

This course meets and exceeds the NFPA Standard and is applicable to everyone – workplaces, safety personnel, and even homeowners.

The Course Objectives

Participants learn to:

Identify different classes of fire
Understand the fundamentals of fire chemistry
Recognize the stages and behaviour of fire
Differentiate extinguisher types and match them to fire classes
Apply proper extinguisher operation techniques
Inspect fire extinguishers
Practice safe, effective suppression of live fires

Practical Holiday Fire Safety Tips

Here are essential habits every workplace and household should adopt during the holiday season:

Electrical & Decoration Safety

Water real trees daily – dry trees ignite in seconds.
Avoid real candles if possible; choose flameless options.
Keep all décor at least 3 feet away from heat sources.
Replace damaged or frayed light strands and extension cords.
Use the correct lights for indoors vs. outdoors.
Never overload outlets or power bars.

Heating Safety

Keep space heaters 1 metre away from anything flammable.
Turn off space heaters when leaving a room or going home for the night.
Have fireplaces cleaned and inspected before seasonal use.

Kitchen Safety

Never leave cooking unattended.
Maintain a clutter-free cooking area.
Keep pot handles turned inward and away from edges.
Use lids or baking soda for small grease fires – never water.

General Safety

Keep lighters and matches away from children.
Ask smokers to smoke outdoors, using deep, water-filled ashtrays.
Make sure to test your smoke alarms and replace the batteries if necessary.
Ensure all guests and employees know evacuation routes.
Never burn wrapping paper or packaging in fireplaces.

These simple practices, paired with Fire Safety Training During the Holidays, dramatically increase workplace and home safety.

Holiday Fire Statistics to Remember

Over 1/3 of decoration fires are started by candles.
2/5 of holiday fires occur when decorations are too close to a heat source.
Cooking remains the leading cause of holiday fires across Canada.
Fire losses in Canada amount to millions of dollars each year, much of which could be prevented through proper training and safe practices.

Our Final Thoughts

The holiday season should be full of celebration – not emergency evacuations. With decorations, heating equipment, festive meals, and workplace events all contributing to elevated risk, this is the most important time of year to reinforce safe habits.

Investing in Fire Safety Training During the Holidays gives your team the awareness and hands-on skills needed to prevent fires, respond quickly, and protect your workplace.

Ready to keep your family or your team safe this holiday season?

Book AIP Safety’s Fire Extinguisher Training With Live Fire Course today and ensure your staff know exactly how to handle small fires safely and confidently.

Let’s make this holiday season joyful, memorable – and as always, safe.