Fire Safety During the Holidays

Tree lights, candles, fireplaces and home-cooked dishes are just some of the things that you may be enjoying during the holidays. They also represent some of the most common causes of fires in the home. Fires related to holiday decorations and activities each year accounts for more than $16 million in property damage and untold injuries and loss of life.

The following are some basic safety rules that everyone should follow – especially during the holidays – to substantially reduce the potential for a fire.

• Install smoke detectors in all strategic locations. They’re the best alert system if a fire does start and units are available for people that are hearing impaired.
• Keep flammable items at least 3 feet away from candles and fireplaces.
• Don’t’ use your fireplace unless the chimney has been cleaned or inspected by a professional chimney sweep.
• Use a screen to prevent logs and embers from escaping the fireplace. Don’t leave a burning fire unattended and ensure all embers are extinguished before going to bed.
• Make sure fireplace embers and debris are cold before removing and disposing of it.
• Place candles, menorah and kinara on non-flammable surfaces that are equipped to catch melting candle wax without burning or scorching. Never leave candles burning if you leave the room.
• Keep real Christmas trees watered! A dry tree can be totally engulfed in flames in less than 10 seconds and ignite surrounding materials in 60 seconds.
• Use a power strip for more than 3 strings of lights and don’t use flimsy extension cords.
• Throw away any strings that are broken, have inner wires showing, and always unplug lights before leaving home or going to bed. The same is true for any free-standing light-up decorations.
• If you’re deep frying a turkey, make sure it’s fully thawed and keep the fryer away from trees and structures.
• Keep children, pets and flammables such as paper/plastic bags and kitchen towels away from the stove top and oven.

Home fires during the holidays can be significantly reduced by thinking ahead and following some simple safety rules. Be sure to exercise additional care and err on the side of caution in homes with very small children and pets.

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The Sena Group
6501 Congress Ave., Ste. 100
Boca Raton, FL 33487