Winter Holiday Safety
While holidays are fun, exciting times we all look forward to, sometimes the disruption of normal routines and schedules, extra decorations in the home, and large groups of visitors can make it more difficult to navigate safety in the home. But a house fire, property damage, or a serious injury is the last thing you want to have happen during the times of the year that are supposed to be joyful and reserved for special family traditions and memories. Since December is the month many major holidays are celebrated across the world, we thought it would be a great time to share the
National Fire Protection Association’s
. Winter Holiday Safety tips with you. Read the bullet points below to refresh your mind on good, precautionary steps to follow so your holiday season will be a safe one.
For Holiday Decorating:
- Be careful with holiday decorations. Choose decorations that are flame-resistant or flame-retardant.
- Keep lit candles away from decorations and other things that can burn.
- Some lights are only for indoor or outdoor use, but not both.
- Replace any string of lights with worn or broken cords or loose bulb connections. Read manufacturer’s instructions for number of light strands to connect.
- Use clips, not nails, to hang lights so the cords do not get damaged.
- Keep decorations away from windows and doors.
- Blow out lit candles when you leave the room or go to bed.
- Turn off all light strings and decorations before leaving home or going to bed.
Test your smoke alarms and tell guests about your home fire escape plan.
- Keep children and pets away from lit candles.
- Keep matches and lighters up high in a locked cabinet.
- Stay in the kitchen when cooking on the stovetop.
- Ask smokers to smoke outside. Remind smokers to keep their smoking materials with them so young children do not touch them.
- Provide large, deep ashtrays for smokers. Wet cigarette butts with water before discarding.