❶ Introduction
A) ID attention: How many of you like to burn candles at home?
B) Thesis: How burning candles can be dangerous unless safety precautions are taken.
1.) Always keep a burning candle within sight.
2.) Keep candles out of the reach of children & pets.
3.) Trim candlewicks to ¼ inch each time before burning.
A.) More than 15,000 candle fires are reported annually due to consumer carelessness.
❷ Body
A) Always keep a burning candle within sight.
1.) (U.S. Fire Administration, March 2014, www.USFA.FEMA.gov) reports 20% of candle fires are from unattended candles. Of the 20%, 11% of those are from people falling asleep while a candle burns on their nightstand.
2.) (Wendell Norris, National Fire Data Center, February 17, 2006, CBS News) House fire’s caused by candles have skyrocketed
B) Keep candles out of the reach of children & pets.
1.) (Chris Carlson, March 28, 2014, IMEMC News) Two children died (four others injured) after playing with a burning candle.
2.) (Morritz Weiss, National Interagency Fire Center, April 6, 2009, www.nifc.gov,) wrote that a house fire started due to a dog’s wagging tail.
C) Trim candlewicks to ¼ inch each time before burning.
1.) Trim the wick back each time, & never leave the pieces of the wick, or match sticks on top of your candle.
2.) (Carolyn Daye, March 12, 2014, Greenwood Park Mall, Yankee Candle Company) States trimming the wick back will help your candle burn more evenly, but it’s safer, keeping the flame low. Also it’s less likely to drip
❸ Conclusion
A) How burning candles can be dangerous unless safety precautions are taken.
1.) Always keep a burning candle within sight.
2.) Keep candles out of the reach of children & pets.
3.) Trim candlewicks to ¼ inch each time before burning.
B) Positive Close: You can enjoy burning candles in your home if you follow a few good safety precautions.