Winter Holiday Season Safety Tips

The winter holiday season is upon us again, which means many of us are busy decorating our homes, gift shopping, and organizing family gatherings. However, in the hustle and bustle of planning for the holidays, many households fail to prepare for the unthinkable – a home fire.

To protect your family and property, citizens are encouraged to consider the following fire safety tips.

Preventing Christmas Tree Fires

• Selecting Your Tree
  Select a freshly cut tree since a tree that has been cut too long has probably dried out and thus poses a fire hazard.  How can you tell if a tree is fresh?  Needles on fresh trees should be green, hard to pull back from the branches, and should not break. The trunk should be sticky to the touch.  Old trees can be identified by bouncing the tree trunk on the ground.  If many needles fall off, the tree has been cut too long.
  
  
• Caring for Your Tree
  Do not place your tree close to fireplaces or heat vents.  The heat will dry out the tree, causing it to more easily ignite.  Do not put your live tree up too early or leave it up for longer than two weeks.  Keep the tree stand filled with water at all times.
  
  
• Disposing of Your Tree
  Never put tree branches or needles in a fireplace or wood burning stove. When the tree becomes dry, discard it promptly. The best way to dispose of your tree is by taking it to a recycling center or having it hauled away by a community pick-up service.

Holiday Lights        

• Maintain Your Holiday Lights
  Inspect holiday lights each year for frayed wires, bare spots, gaps in the insulation, broken or cracked sockets, and excessive kinking or wear before putting them up.  Use only UL-approved lighting.
  
  
• Do Not Overload Electrical Outlets
  Do not link more than three light strands, unless the directions indicate it is safe.  Connect strings of lights to an extension cord before plugging the cord into the outlet.  Make sure to periodically check the wires - they should not be warm to the touch.
  
  
• Do Not Leave Holiday Lights on Unattended
  Always turn off holiday lights when you leave your home.

Holiday Decorations

• Use only nonflammable decorations
  All decorations should be nonflammable or flame-retardant and placed away from heat vents.
  
  
• Never put wrapping paper in a fireplace
  Wrapping paper in the fireplace can result in a very large fire, throwing off dangerous sparks and embers that may result in a chimney fire.
  
  
• Don’t Block Exits
  Ensure that trees and other holiday decorations do not block an exit way.  In the event of a fire, time is of the essence.  A blocked entry/exit way puts you and your family at risk

Candle Care

• Avoid using lit candles
  If you do use lit candles, make sure they are in stable holders and place them where they cannot be easily knocked down.  Never leave the house with candles burning.
  
  
• Never put lit candles on a tree
  Do not go near a Christmas tree with an open flame.