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"No 'Candle Light' Emergencies", Please!!

By
Real Estate Agent with Dan Edward Phillips

'Candle lit' dinners are great!  'Candle Light' emergencies, like earthquakes and power outages, are not so great.

The use of 'Candles' in an emergency situation has very few benefits and numerous dangers.  You have an 'open flame' that will ignite a gas leak.  If you drop the candle and it lands on something flammable, you could have a fire to deal with.  Many people are burned each year because they ignite flammable clothing they are wearing.  If you fall asleep with a candle burning you could wake up to a fire.

In an emergency situation, emergency services are already overwhelmed!  If you start a fire as a result of using candles you may have a long response time.  You could loose your home or worse.

Flash lights and battery powered lanterns are not expensive.  Many varieties come with rechargeable batteries so they may be reused again and again.  The cost of extra batteries is good insurance for your safety and the safety of family and home.

Better to be safe than sorry!

Save the candles for a 'candle lit' dinner where you can turn on the lights if there is a problem. 

 

Comments (12)

Clint Mckie
Desert Sun Home, commercial Inspections - Carlsbad, NM
Desert Sun Home, Comm. Inspection 1-575-706-5586

Hi dan,

Man i hate it when the "lights go out" and you end up scrambling for a way to save the food in the frige. LOL

Think of "safety as number one".

Have a great weekend my friend.

Best, Clint Mckie

Sep 03, 2011 03:22 PM
Dan Edward Phillips
Dan Edward Phillips - Eureka, CA
Realtor and Broker/Owner

Hi Clint, it is "safety as number one" better to be safe than sorry!  Thank you for stopping by and your comment and support.  Have a great Labor Day Weekend!

Sep 03, 2011 03:44 PM
C. Lloyd McKenzie
Living Albuquerque - Albuquerque, NM
Living Albuquerque

Good Evening Dan;

There is something very to the point about this post.  It really resonates with me.  Using Candles in Emergencies is not a good idea.  It is imperative that people prepare and get a high powered flashlight; put it in a safe place until it is needed.  Just last week I had that conversation with a friend.  She was using candles during a power outage last week. 

Sep 03, 2011 04:46 PM
MichelleCherie Carr Crowe .Just Call. 408-252-8900
Get Results Team...Just Call (408) 252-8900! . DRE #00901962 . Licensed to Sell since 1985 . Altas Realty - San Jose, CA
Family Helping Families Buy & Sell Homes 40+ Years

Better go with flashlights, given the problems with our PG&E utility company's volatile underground gas lines, I agree.

Sep 03, 2011 05:46 PM
Dan Edward Phillips
Dan Edward Phillips - Eureka, CA
Realtor and Broker/Owner

Good Morning C Lloyd, any open flame in an emergency is asking for trouble.  Thank you for stopping by and your excellent input, it is appreciated.

Sep 03, 2011 11:17 PM
Dan Edward Phillips
Dan Edward Phillips - Eureka, CA
Realtor and Broker/Owner

Good Morning Michelle, you have an excellent point in this area of Northern California.  Thank you for your comment and for stopping by, it is appreciated.

Sep 03, 2011 11:19 PM
Sheila Newton Team Anderson & Greenville SC
Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices - C. Dan Joyner - Anderson, SC
Selling the Upstate since 1989

great points Dan... I love candles and burn them a lot around the home. Hadn't thought about the gas leak part though in an emergency situation. :)

Sep 04, 2011 02:22 AM
Robert Bob Gilbert
Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Anderson Properties - Katy, TX
Your Katy TX ( West of Houston) Real Estate Expert

Hi Dan,

We love to light candles at dinner or when we are just listening to music. During am emergency you are oh so correct as you said too many bad things could happen. Thanks for the post.

Sep 04, 2011 04:36 AM
Karen Hawkins, MBA - Langley & Surrey, BC
Royal Pro Real Estate Network - Langley, BC

Great points, Dan - so important to be mindful of the dangers of an open flame with all of these natural disasters occuring and folks losing electrical power.  But even for those having a backyard "camp out" - one moment of inattention and a tiny spark can have profound implications - great post!

Sep 04, 2011 04:54 AM
Joshua Zargari
MJ Decorators Workshop LI staging and home decorating - Lynbrook, NY
MJ Decorators Workshop

Hi Dan.

We were with out power for almost three days.

We used the flash lights.

Sep 04, 2011 07:54 AM
Yolanda Cordova-Gilbert
Richmond, TX

Dan,

             I just love candles we light them all the time but you are correct not during an emergency too many things can go wrong! Have a great Labor Day Weekend!

Sep 04, 2011 01:24 PM
Dan Edward Phillips
Dan Edward Phillips, Humboldt and Del Norte Counties, CA - Eureka, CA
Humboldt and Del Norte Counties, CA

Candles can be a big hazard in an emergency, avoid them if possible!

Sep 15, 2011 12:38 AM