Holiday Safety Tips for Fire Prevention

With fire-wise common sense, you can make sure tragedy does not come between you and the festive holiday you have planned. Follow these fire prevention tips to help you and your families have a safe and happy Holiday Season.

Each year, hospital emergency rooms treat about 12,500 people for injuries, such as falls, cuts and shocks, related to holiday lights, decorations and Christmas trees. In addition, there are 11,600 candle-related fires each year, resulting in 150 deaths, 1200 injuries and $173 million in property loss annually. Christmas trees are involved in about 300 fires annually, resulting in 10 deaths, 30 injuries and an average of more than $10 million in property loss and damage.

OVERNIGHT GUESTS IN YOUR HOME
	Keep your family and overnight guests safe with a working smoke detector on every level of the house, in every bedroom, and in the halls adjacent to the bedrooms. Test smoke detectors monthly and replace batteries at least twice a year.
	Overnight guests should be instructed on the fire escape plan and designated meeting place for your home.
HOLIDAY COOKING
	Have a fire extinguisher available not more than 10 feet from the stove, on the exit side of the room.
	A 2-1/2 lb. class ABC multi-purpose dry chemical extinguisher is recommended. Know how to use your fire extinguisher.
	Start holiday cooking with a clean stove and oven.
	Keep the kitchen off-limits to young children and adults that are not helping with food preparations to lessen the possibility of kitchen mishaps.
	When cooking, do not wear clothing with loose sleeves or dangling jewelry. The clothing can catch on fire and the jewelry can catch on pot handles, causing spills and burns.
	Cook on the back burners when possible and turn pot handles in so they don't extend over the edge of the stove.
	Never leave cooking unattended. If you must leave the kitchen while cooking, turn off the stove or have someone else watch what is being cooked.
	Keep Holiday decorations and kitchen clutter away from sources of direct heat.
CANDLES AND SMOKING
	Candles are often part of holiday decorations. Candles should never be left burning when you are away from home, or after going to bed.
	Candles should be located where children will not be tempted to play with them, and where guests will not accidentally brush against them.
	The candleholder should be completely noncombustible and difficult to knock over.
	The candle should not have combustible decorations around it.
	If smoking is allowed inside, provide guests with large, deep ashtrays and check them frequently.
	After guests leave, check inside and under upholstery and in trashcans for cigarette butts that may be smoldering.
	Latest RECALL: CPSC, Home Interiors and Gifts Announce Recall of Tea Lights
ELECTRICAL HAZARDS AND LIGHTING
	It is better not to use extension cords. If you feel you must use one, make sure that it is not frayed or worn. Do not run it under a rug or twist it around a nail or hook.
	Never overload a socket. In particular, the use of "octopus" outlets, outlet extensions that accommodate several plugs, is strongly discouraged.
	If a circuit breaker trips or a fuse blows frequently, immediately cut down on the number of appliances or lights on that line.
	Be sure all electrical equipment bears the Underwriters Laboratories (UL) label.
	Do not use more than three standard-size sets of lights per single extension cord.
	Turn off all holiday lights before you go to bed or leave the house so fires started by a short will not go unnoticed before major damage is done.
	Check the U.S. CONSUMER PRODUCT SAFETY COMMISSION website for the latest recalls for lighting sets and other holiday decorations.
FESTIVE TREES
	Check for freshness ( needles are green, hard to pull from branches and will flex rather than break ) when purchasing a live tree.
	Place the tree away from fireplaces and radiators, and do not block doorways and normal traffic patterns in the house.
	Be sure to keep the stand filled with water as heated rooms dry live trees out rapidly.
	Never use lighted candles on a tree or near other evergreens. Non-combustible or flame-resistant materials should be used to trim a tree.
	Look for the label "Fire Resistant" when purchasing an artificial tree. This labeling means the tree will resist burning and can be extinguished quickly should it catch fire.
	Never use electric lights on a metallic tree. The tree can become charged with electricity from faulty lights, and a person touching a branch could be electrocuted.
TOYS
	Check the U.S. CONSUMER PRODUCT SAFETY COMMISSION website for the latest TOY RECALLS

Continue...