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HOLIDAY FIRE SAFETY TIPS

As the holidays approach look for  ways to eliminate potential dangers that could lead to fires and injuries.

Each year, hospital emergency rooms treat about 8,100 people for injuries, such as falls, cuts, and shocks related to holiday lights, decorations, and Christmas trees. In addition, Christmas trees are involved in more than 400 fires annually, resulting in 30 deaths, 90 injuries, and an average of more than $17 million in property loss and damage.

Have a safe and happy holiday season by following these safety tips.

Trees

• When purchasing an artificial tree, look for the label "Fire Resistant." Although this label does not mean the tree won't catch fire, it does indicate the tree will resist burning and should extinguish quickly.
  
• When purchasing a live tree, check for freshness. A fresh tree is green; needles are hard to pull from branches and when bent between your fingers, needles do not break. The trunk butt of a fresh tree is sticky with resin, and when tapped on the ground, the tree should not lose many needles.
  
• When setting up a tree at home, place it away from fireplaces and radiators. Because heated rooms dry live trees out rapidly, be sure to keep the stand filled with water. Place the tree out of the way of traffic and do not block doorways.

Lights

• Indoors or outside, use only lights that have been tested for safety by a recognized testing laboratory, which indicates conformance with safety standards.
  
• Check each set of lights, new or old, for broken or cracked sockets, frayed or bare wires, or loose connections, and throw out damaged sets.
  
• Use no more than three standard-size sets of lights per single extension cord.
  
• Never use electric lights on a metallic tree. The tree can become charged with electricity from faulty lights, and a person touching a branch could be electrocuted.
  
• Fasten outdoor lights securely to trees, house walls, or other firm supports to protect the lights from wind damage. Use only insulated staples, not nails or tacks, to hold strings in place. Or, run strings of lights through hooks (available at hardware stores).
  
• Turn off all lights when you go to bed or leave the house. The lights could short out and start a fire.
  
• For added electric-shock protection, plug outdoor electric lights and decorations into circuits protected by ground fault circuit interrupters (GFCIs). Portable outdoor GFCIs can be purchased where electrical supplies are sold. GFCIs can be installed permanently to household circuits by a qualified electrician.

Decorations

• Use only non-combustible or flame-resistant materials to trim a tree. Choose tinsel or artificial icicles of plastic or nonleaded metals. Leaded materials are hazardous if ingested by children.
  
• Never use lighted candles on a tree or near other evergreens. Always use non-flammable holders, and place candles where they will not be knocked down.
  
• In homes with small children, take special care to avoid decorations that are sharp or breakable, keep trimmings with small removable parts out of the reach of children to avoid the child swallowing or inhaling small pieces, and avoid trimmings that resemble candy or food that may tempt a child to eat them.
  
• Wear gloves to avoid eye and skin irritation while decorating with spun glass "angel hair." Follow container directions carefully to avoid lung irritation while decorating with artificial snow sprays.

Fireplaces

More than one-third of Americans use fireplaces, wood stoves and other fuel-fired appliances as primary heat sources in their homes. Unfortunately, many people are unaware of the fire risks when heating with wood and solid fuels.

Heating fires account for 36% of residential home fires in rural areas every year. Often these fires are due to creosote buildup in chimneys and stovepipes. All home heating systems require regular maintenance to function safely and efficiently. Have your systems cleaned and inspected annually.

Use a sturdy fireplace screen to keep the fire contained. If you are purchasing a factory-built fireplace, select one listed by a testing laboratory and have it installed according to local codes.

Never use flammable liquids in a fireplace. Never burn paper or pine boughs; these materials can float out of the chimney and ignite a neighboring home. For the same reason, do not use your live cut Christmas tree for firewood after the holidays. Wrapping paper also produces toxic fumes when it burns.

Use care with "fire salts," which produce colored flames when thrown on wood fires. They contain heavy metals that can cause intense gastrointestinal irritation and vomiting if eaten. Keep them away from children.

Do not burn wrapping papers in the fireplace. A flash fire may result as wrappings ignite suddenly and burn intensely.

Portable Heaters & Space Heaters

Place space heaters at least three feet away from any flammable items, including wallpaper, curtains, bedding, clothing, pets, and people. Do not use heaters to dry clothing. Small children and pets should not be left alone with heaters. Make sure to turn off heaters when you leave the room or go to sleep.

Wood & Coal Stoves

Only buy a wood or coal stove that is certified by a recognized testing laboratory and meets local fire codes. Research local codes and check with your local fire department before having your wood stove installed. You may also need approval from your home insurance company.

Place the wood stove on an approved stove board to protect the floor from heat and hot coals. Follow manufacturers' recommendations for proper use and maintenance. Get the chimney connections and flues inspected at the beginning of each heating season, and have them cleaned if necessary. Burn only wood or coal--not paper, pine, or trash.

Carbon Monoxide

Carbon monoxide (CO) gas can come from several sources: gas-fired appliances, charcoal grills, wood-burning furnaces or fireplaces, kerosene heaters, and motor vehicles. Keep a carbon monoxide detector in your home. Treat any activations as real. Evacuate the house, leaving the door open for ventilation, and contact the fire department from a cell phone or a neighbor's house.

Electric Blankets

Only purchase electric blankets that are certified by an independent testing lab. Make sure they are in good repair before using them. Do not use a blanket that has a frayed, cracked, or cut power cord.

Do not tuck your electric blanket into mattresses or mattress pads. Do not allow children or pets to lay on electric blankets. Do not put comforters, bedspreads, or anything else on top of the blanket while it is turned on.

Prevent cooking fires!

According to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), cooking fires are the number one cause of home fires and home injuries. The leading cause of fires in the kitchen is unattended cooking. It’s important to be alert to prevent cooking fires.

Here are some basic safety tips:

1. Stay in the kitchen while you are frying, grilling or broiling food. If you leave the kitchen for even a short period of time, turn off the stove.
2. If you are simmering, baking, roasting or boiling food, check it regularly. Remain in the home while food is cooking, and use a timer to remind you that you are cooking.
3. Keep anything that can catch fire — oven mitts, wooden utensils, food packaging, towels or curtains — away from your stovetop.

Other considerations:

1. Teach your kids r-e-s-p-e-c-t for the HOT oven. I make sure my children are in the other room or watching from the doorway when I open the oven. You can mark off the “safe zone” with an area rug as well.
2. Wear close-fitting or short sleeves. Loose, sleeves can easily catch fire on a random burner. Though these clothing fires are not as frequent as food igniting, they’re more lethal.
3. Keep pots and pans on the back burners when practical. Turn handles inward (or sideways) so they don’t get accidentally bumped.
4. Get in the habit of doing a visual sweep to see that the knobs are in the OFF position when you walk away from the oven.

Accidents happen, so make sure that your safety equipment is up-to-date and easy-to-access: all smoke detectors should be properly installed with working batteries. Test them regularly!

Make sure you know how to use your fire extinguisher properly!!!

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