Fire Safety Tips
Christmas is here! Get ready to learn the dos and don’ts in fire safety.
According to the USFA (U.S. Fire Administration) they have a few tips for you to prevent house fires on Christmas Holidays.
When selecting a tree this holiday, the needles on fresh trees should be hard to pull back from the branches, and the needles should not break if the three has been freshly cut. The trunk should be sticky to the touch. Old trees can be identified by bouncing the tree trunk on the ground. If many of the needles fall off, the tree has been cut to log and has probably dried out and is a fire hazard.
When caring for your tree, NEVER place your tree near a heat source, as in a heater or a fireplace. The tree will dry out from the heat causing it to be ignited. Be careful not to drop or flick cigarette ashes near the tree. Do not place or tree up to early or leave it up longer than 2 weeks. Keep the tree stand filled with water at all times. NEVER put your tree branches or needles in a fireplace or woodburning stove. When the tree has dried out, discard it promptly. The best way to dispose of our tree is to send it to a recycling center or have it hauled away by a community pickup service.
When maintaining your holiday lights, you should inspect your holiday lights for rayed wires, bare spots, gaps on the insulation, broken or cracked sockets, and excessive kinking or war before putting them up. Use only lighting that has been listed by an approved testing laboratory. ATTENTION! Do not overload your outlets! Do not link more than three light strands, unless the instructions indicated it as safe. Connect strings of lights to an extension cord before putting the cord into the outlet. Make sure to periodically check the wires – They should not be warm to the touch.
Ise only nonflammable decorations – all decorations should be nonflammable or flame-retardant and placed away from heat sources. (Heat vents, heaters, etc.)
Never put wrapping paper in a fireplace. It can result in a very large fire, throwing off dangerous sparks and embers and may result in a chimney fire.
If you are using a metallic or artificial tree, make sure it is flame-retardant.
Avoid using lit candles, If you do use them, make sure they are in stable handles and place them where hey will not get knocked down. Never leave the house with the candles burning.
Never put lit candles near a Christmas tree. – Never go near a Christmas tree with an open flame – lighters, matches or candles.