Religious holidays without incidents!

In spring the Orthodox Church celebrates some of the most important holidays – the Bright Resurrection of Christ (Easter) and Radunitsa – the Day of special commemoration of the deceased. By tradition, on these days churches hold solemn religious events. Considering that a large number of people gather and open fire is used during services. These events require especially careful behavior and attentiveness. In this regard, the Ministry of Emergency Situations reminds of the basic fire safety rules during services in churches.

Before the service, study the layout of the model hall and the temple building to know the evacuation routes. Candles should be kept away from flammable items; this rule must also be observed at home: after you light a church candle, place it on a non‑combustible holder at a considerable distance from flammable items. Do not leave lit candles unattended and remember that they should be out of reach of children.

In the temple, exercise caution when lighting candles from candle holders: roll up the sleeves of your clothing, tie scarves tightly and tuck hair under them. Watch children closely, do not allow them to place burning candles near your clothing. Keep a piece of paper or a handkerchief under the candle so that hot wax does not get on the skin, you instinctively do not pull your hand away and do not drop a burning candle onto the clothing. Do not light flammable objects instead of a candle, such as celluloid toys, matches and lighters. Also try to keep a safe distance from other worshippers who are holding lit candles in their hands.

In case of clothing catching fire, drop it, cover it with a dense material, and if the fire is intense, extinguish it with a fire extinguisher. If a fire occurs, call 101 or 112 immediately.

In addition, many people during the spring church holidays visit the graves of relatives and loved ones at cemeteries. And here it is also required to follow certain safety rules. When visiting cemeteries, do not throw burning matches and cigarette butts on the ground, do not leave glass bottles or glass shards on sun‑lit areas, do not burn dry grass near bushes, trees and wooden structures. While tidying up the cemetery area, do not burn waste or light fires.

If you discover a fire starting, for example a small grass fire, try to extinguish it yourself. Sometimes it's enough just to stomp out the flame, you need to wait and make sure the grass is truly not smoldering, otherwise the fire may reappear. If you cannot extinguish the fire yourself, call the rescue service (phone – 101, 112).

Be careful and cautious! Show vigilance, do not ignore violations that could lead to a tragedy. May the spring church holidays be bright and joyful for you.

Take care of yourself and your loved ones!

Chief

Orsha City Fire Department for Emergencies                                          A.O. Kuryatnikov