Before the Ball Drops: New Year’s Eve Fire Safety for Parties
New Year’s Eve is a time for countdowns, confetti, and celebrating God’s faithfulness through another year. It should not be the night you meet your local fire department in your driveway. A few simple choices in the kitchen, around candles, and with fireworks can keep your gathering joyful and safe.
Keep the party alive:
Most home fires start in the kitchen, and holiday cooking is a major culprit because people get distracted by guests, phones, and countdowns. When the food is going, and the house is full, it is easy to walk away “just for a second” and forget the stove is still on.
- Always stay in the kitchen when you are frying, broiling, or grilling. If you have to leave the room, even briefly, turn off the burner.
- Keep anything that can burn—towels, oven mitts, paper plates, decorations—well away from the stovetop.
- Use back burners when possible and turn pot handles inward so they cannot be bumped or grabbed by kids.
If you are hosting, consider assigning a “kitchen captain” for the evening. Let one responsible adult be responsible for ensuring burners are off, oven timers are set, and nothing is left unattended. Before everyone goes to bed, do a final sweep to confirm the oven and stove are completely off, and all small appliances are unplugged.
Decorations and crowded spaces:
New Year’s parties often use what is left from Christmas—trees, garlands, and lights—along with extra streamers and balloons. Decorations close to heat sources and overloaded outlets can turn a fun night into an emergency.
- Keep decorations away from fireplaces, space heaters, and radiators; a three-foot “no-burn zone” around heat sources is a good rule of thumb.
- Do not overload outlets or power strips with string lights, sound systems, and chargers; instead, spread plugs across multiple outlets.
- Ensure exits, hallways, and doors are not blocked by extra chairs, coats, or décor so everyone can exit quickly if needed.
Before guests arrive, walk through your home as if you were a visitor. Ask, “Could I find the door easily, and is there anything flammable too close to heat or outlets?” A few minutes of adjusting furniture or décor can make your home much safer.
Fireworks and sparklers: fun at a distance
In many places, fireworks are part of ringing in the new year. Fire safety guidance emphasizes distance, water, and supervision as key to preventing fireworks-related fires and injuries.
- Only use legal consumer fireworks and follow the directions on the label; never modify or combine them.
- Light fireworks outdoors in a clear, open area away from houses, trees, dry grass, and vehicles, with everyone standing well back.
- Keep a bucket of water and a hose or a fire extinguisher nearby, and soak used or “dud” fireworks in water before throwing them away.
Sparklers may look harmless, but they burn at very high temperatures and can easily ignite clothing or dry grass. Safety recommendations often advise that children should never handle fireworks unsupervised, and many experts suggest glow sticks or other light-up toys as safer alternatives for little ones. Designate one sober adult as the “fireworks supervisor,” and keep everyone else at a safe viewing distance.