Holiday Safety Tips

With the holidays approaching and the winter months upon us, remember to make sure your carbon monoxide Detectors and smoke detectors are working properly. Here are a few holiday tips to protect your homes, your families and your loved ones,

How to prevent Christmas tree fire hazards:

• Ensure that your live tree is fresh - The needles should be hard to pull from the branches and don’t break when bent between your fingers. The bottom of the trunk should be sticky with resin. If you tap the tree on the ground, few needles should fall off.
• Keep the tree away from heat sources such as fireplaces, vents and radiators.
• Be sure to check the water level daily and make sure the stand is filled with water. (Also, a side note if you use a mixture of water and Sprite or 7-Up the trees have a tendency to last longer)
• Heated rooms will quickly dry out the tree.
• Practice Christmas tree safety by placing the tree out of foot traffic and make sure it’s not blocking doorways. Always leave yourself a way out in case of an emergency.
• If you buy an artificial tree, be sure to look for the “Fire Resistant” label. The label doesn’t guarantee the tree won’t catch on fire, but it does indicate the tree is more resistant to catching on fire.

How to avoid candle fires including Menorahs:

• Only burn candles where you can keep an eye on them. USE extreme caution with children lighting the menorah. ALWAYS HAVE AN ADULT PRESENT WHEN LIGHTING.
• When you go to bed, leave the room or leave the house, extinguish all candles.
• Ensure candles are placed on heat resistant, non-flammable, sturdy surfaces and where kids and pets can’t reach them or knock them over.
• Candles should always be placed far away from items that could catch fire and burn easily, such as trees, decorations, curtains, furniture and tablecloths.

How do you avoid electrical fires?

• Practice holiday light safety by buying your lights from reputable retailers. Check that your lights are approved by a nationally recognized testing lab such as UL, Intertek or CSA. UL identifies products meeting safety requirement for indoor and outdoor use with a red holographic label. For indoor only usage, the product will have a green holographic label. DO NOT BE FOOLED BY IMITATION PRODUCTS.
• Be sure to check all lights and throw out any that have broken or cracked sockets, frayed or bare wires, or any loose connections.
• Make sure to use extension cords for their intended use - indoors, outdoors or both. DO NOT OVERLOAD EXTENSION CORDS.
• Be sure to plug outdoor holiday lights into circuits that are protected by Ground Fault Circuit Interrupters (GFCIs).
• Fasten outdoor lights securely to the house, trees or other supports to keep them from pulling away with the wind. But don’t damage the cord with fasteners. Take care not to puncture roofing shingles when fastening lights to the home.
• Watch for water and snow accumulations and keep both extension cords and lights clear of it.
• Make sure cords and light strands are not pinched in doors, windows or under furniture. This can damage the cord and its insulation.
• When you leave home or go to bed, be sure to turn off all indoor and outdoor Christmas lights and electrical decorations.

Is your fireplace ready for the holidays?

• Have your fireplace inspected to see if it needs cleaning before using it through the holidays.
• Be sure to keep a screen on the fireplace to prevent embers from popping out and landing on the floor or carpet.
• Don’t burn wrapping paper in the fireplace. The paper ignites quickly and burns intensely and could result in a flash fire. Only used seasoned wood.
• Be careful with “fire salts” which produce colored flames when thrown on wood fires. If swallowed, they can cause vomiting. They also contain heavy metals that can cause gastrointestinal irritation.

How to prevent cooking fires not only during the holidays but all year round:

• Never leave cooking unattended.
• Keep an all-purpose fire extinguisher nearby. Never use water to extinguish a grease fire. If the fire is manageable, use your all-purpose fire extinguisher. If the fire increases, immediately call the fire department for help.
• Never fill your pan with too much oil and keep it from getting too hot — being burned with splashing oil really is not a pleasant experience. Make sure your oil doesn’t get too hot. It’s a good idea to use an oil with a high burning point, like canola oil or olive oil.
• Keep young children away from the stove — Total Family Care suggests creating “a 3-foot safety zone around the stove when the latkes are frying,” or using “the further burners so children cannot reach the flames.”
• Keep anything that can catch fire - potholders, oven mitts, wooden utensils, paper or plastic bags, food packaging, towels, or curtains - away from the cooking area.

I would like to wish everyone a happy and safe holiday season.

Evan Humphrey, Fire Inspector