Holiday Fire Safety Tips

By Sammy K

The holidays are right around the corner and the decorating has already begun. While beautiful, your decorations can become a serious danger to your home. Take the proper precautions to ensure your beautiful display doesn’t ignite.

Don’t crowd outlets

Try not to plug everything into one outlet and overwork it. Pick up a power strip from a department or hardware store to plug in; it gives you more individual outlets and will help ease the strain on your wall outlet. You can purchase energy saving power strips as well, so that’s an added bonus for your wallet.

Check your cords

Routinely check all cords for fraying or breakage. If there are exposed wires, it’s time to buy some new twinkle lights. Unplug when you’re not at home for an extended period of time. I know everyone loves to see pretty Christmas lights, but if you’re away, how will you know if there’s a problem? You wouldn’t until it’s too late. If you’re going to the grocery store for a quick run, check everything out before leaving it plugged in. Again, check for exposed wires and other hazards. Don’t forget to unplug everything before you go to bed. Outdoor lights, window lights, Christmas tree, etc. There have been incidences where Christmas trees have been left plugged in overnight and ignited, causing extensive damage to the homes involved. Sleep rest assured that you’ve taken care of any problems that may arise.

Don’t forget about candles

Don’t leave candles burning unattended. Keep them in a close area where they can be seen and extinguished. Leaving candles burning while not at home is an extremely risky decision and I highly advise against it. For décor that requires candles, check out some flameless candles. They make great battery operated LED ones that flicker and still look beautiful without as much risk.

Get the right Christmas tree

Pick a Christmas tree appropriate for the size of your dwelling. Do not get one that is too tall; if there is no space between the ceiling and the top of the tree, it’s hard to check out any potential hazards and is hard to get to quickly in case of emergency. For artificial Christmas trees, check out what material it’s made of before your purchase. Is it a highly flammable synthetic? If so, your tree can burn quickly and easily spread a fire.

Get a fire extinguisher

Keep a fire extinguisher on hand. Make sure it is current and that you know how to use it. Keep it in an area that is easy to get to.

Know the fire escapes

Living in an apartment building, you should be aware of your ways out. In the event of an emergency, know all of your options of getting out of your home safely. Make sure you know where the building’s fire exits are and go to the nearest one to get out. Stay several feet away from any burning dwelling. Brush up on fire escape techniques. In the event of a fire, try to stay close to the floor and crawl out. Smoke inhalation can be just as deadly as flame.

Use some common sense

Above all, use common sense when decorating with lights. Don’t use items that tend to overheat, have broken bulbs, exposed wires, or frayed cords. Don’t put loads of lights together and cause an electrical fire.

No matter what you celebrate, fire safety is an important part of having a happy holiday. Don’t let faulty décor get in the way of your celebration.

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