Staying Safe Through the Holidays
Between cold weather and the holiday season, winter can be a dangerous time of year in terms of home fires. According to the US Fire Administration, the top 3 days of the year for fires started by candles are Christmas Day, New Years Eve & New Years Day. Read on to learn the best ways to keep you, your friends, family and colleagues safe this holiday season.
Have a fire escape plan and practice it.
- Make a plan.
- Think about the needs of each person in the building.
- Make sure you have a working smoke detector/alarm one each level of the building.
- Find two (2) ways out of every room.
- Practice your plan.
Other things to consider this time of year.
- Only use decorations that are not flammable.
- Check holiday lights each year for frayed wires or excessive wear.
- Don’t link more than three (3) strands of holiday lights together.
- Never leave a burning candle unattended. Consider using battery-operated, flameless candles.
- Keep your live Christmas tree away from heat sources and exits.
- Water your live Christmas tree daily so it doesn’t dry out.
Did you know?
More than 1 in every 5 Christmas tree fires were caused by a heat source too close to the tree. Plus, more than 1/3 of home decoration fires are started by candles.
