Seasonal Safety

 Winter and Holiday Safety

Please remember while you are decorating for the holidays, keep all flammables away from the fireplace.  Be sure you don't overload extension cords.  Holiday lights are notorious for setting trees on fire.  Never leave the house with your Christmas tree lit.  Make certain you keep your tree watered and away from open flames, including candles and fireplaces.   Never leave burning candles unattended and extinguish them when leaving the house or going to bed.  Keep holiday lights away from fabrics/curtains, as the heat from those lights, especially older lights, can also start a fire.

When in doubt, THROW IT OUT.  Any old lights should be discarded, if you turn them on and they get hot, get rid of them.  If you notice any frays or see flickers that should not be flickering, toss it.  It's better to be safe than sorry. 

Fall Back.....Spring Ahead.....

...Swap the Batteries!

Make sure you change the batteries in your smoke detectors every time you change your clocks.  Fall back an hour, put in new batteries, spring ahead...new batteries!  It's a simple way to remember and ensure your batteries are fresh.  Smoke detectors save lives, make sure your's work.  It has been said that roughly 30 percent of fire alarms installed in homes do not work, due to many reasons, one of them being that the owners didn't replace dead batteries.  In the United States, the National Fire Protection Association estimates that nearly two-thirds of deaths from home fires occur in properties without working smoke alarms/detectors.¹  Make sure that's not you!  When in doubt, swap 'em out!

 

 

1. 1 "Learn About Smoke Alarms". Usfa.fema.gov. 2014-06-03.