Holiday and Winter Safety

>> Visual of lights on the tree, homes, decorations

>> Narrator: The sights and the sounds of the season can be breath taking...

>> Visual of a store shelf lined up with several Iggle Piggle toys--a blue,

talking plush toy. A close-up of the toy follows. (Cuddly battery operated toy): My

name is Iggle Piggle. >> Visual of a young girl wandering

around the aisles of a toy store. >> Narrator: But some of the very things

that put a smile on the faces of parents and kids alike come with safety concerns too.

>> Iggle Piggle: Iggle Piggle loves his blanket.

>> Female reporter holding Iggle Piggle as it moves.

>> Narrator: ...And some parents love to give talking toys.

But it's easy to forget what makes the toys move and talk.

>> Visual of other talking toys on shelves and little girl playing. Close-up

of several battery packages. Visual of a reporter walking down a toy aisle with the Iggle Piggle

in her hands. >> Stand up: Walk down the aisles of this

store's toy department and you'll find many that require batteries. Even for kids as young

as 18 months old. It's important that parents supervise their kids and make sure batteries

are inserted properly. >> Close-up of a Christmas tree

lit up at night. Outdoor visual of a home, lit up with lights at night. Visual of a male

hardware store owner stocking a shelf full of yellow extension

cords. >> Narrator: It's all so easy to get too

caught up in the sparkle and beauty of the season when decorating, and attempt to outdo

your neighbour. Make sure you've got the right extension cord. And read the label before

buying. >> Fred Giannetti - Manager Preston Hardware:

"Every cord should have a CSA or ULC approval on it."

>> Close-up of an electrical certification mark on a product's box. Close-up of hardware

store owner speaking in the aisle, with extension cords in the background.

>> Narrator: When buying electrical products, look for the certification mark or logo that

proves they have been certified to Canadian safety standards to avoid electrical shock

and fire. >> Outdoor visual of a home, lit

up with lights at night. Visual of reporter and hardware store owner talking in the store

aisle and examining carbon monoxide detectors. >> Narrator: The lights are hung and the

shopping is done. But before you cozy up by the fire and relax completely, here's another

powerful safety message to keep top of mind at this time of year. Any device that burns

a fuel can produce carbon monoxide. The possibility of the presence of carbon monoxide in a home

can increase during the cold winter months. >> Image of the hardware store

owner speaking, with various carbon monoxide detectors in the background.

>> Fred Gianetti - Manager Preston Hardware: "[Proper] ventilation at this time of year

[is important to think about]. You have a lot of snow going on the outside of the house

and the furnace has an exhaust pipe at the back maybe about 3 feet from the ground. So

you got to make sure that the snow level is lower than the pipe."

>> Image of exhaust pipe exiting a home. The exhaust pipe is not covered by

the snow that has just fallen. Snow is still falling in the image.Close-up of various carbon

monoxide detectors in the store. Close-up of an example of a certification mark on the

packaging of the detector (CSA and ULC). >> Narrator: And like the extension cords,

before buying a carbon monoxide detector, look for one with one of the recognized certification

marks proving it complies with Canadian electrical safety standards.

>> Close-up of holiday lights lit in a tree outdoors. Visual of cars driving

at night, alongside a tree lit up with white lights. Close-up of Iggle Piggle, the blue

plush toy, moving its arms. Image of little girl looking at toys in the store aisle. Close-up

of holiday wreath hung outdoors. Visual of front of home lit up with holiday lights at

night. >> Narrator: So this year, before you turn

up the wattage on the sights, the sounds and the smiles (Iggle Piggle) of the

season keep safety in mind. For more holiday safety advice, including tips on how to safely

prepare those holiday meals and treats check out this web site: www.healthcanada.gc.ca