During this holiday season, many of us will be decorating our homes with lights and candles as we celebrate with family and friends. Unfortunately, holiday fun can bring along some potential dangers as well. According to the U.S. Fire Administration (USFA), there are over 2,600 people who are injured by fires over the holiday season, with over $930 million in damages. So just because you can fit one more plug into that socket, doesn’t mean that you should. The USFA reminds us of some helpful things we can do to be aware of some of these dangers and how we might avoid them:
- Choose a fresh Christmas tree. Dried out trees can be very flammable. A fresh tree should have green needles which do not break. The trunk should be sticky to the touch.
- Don’t put your tree near a heat source. Avoid placing your tree by a fireplace or heating vent. This will dry out your tree and possibly expose it to sparks or flame.
- Don’t keep your tree up too long, and always keep your tree stand filled with water.
- Inspect holiday lights every year for frayed wires. Check for broken or cracked sockets.
- Don’t overload electrical sockets. Never link more than 3 strands of lights together, unless the directions say it is safe to do so. Check the wires periodically; they shouldn’t be warm to the touch.
- Only ever use non-flammable decorations. Avoid using lit candles, or at least make sure they are in stable holders.
- Never leave the house with candles burning.
- Never put wrapping paper into the fireplace. The chemicals in the paper could cause an explosion.
- Test your smoke alarms every month, and remember to practice your home escape plan.
Check out the USFA website for more helpful safety tips for how you can prevent fires in the home this holiday season.
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