Holiday Fire Safety

During the holiday season, families are busy wrapping gifts, decorating the house and enjoying each other’s company, but all this joy and merriment brings an increased risk of fire. Common causes of fires during the holidays include:

• Candles (these fires increase fourfold during this time of year)
• Christmas trees that dry out and become combustible
• Overloaded electrical outlets
• Flammable decorations near open flames
• Unattended cooking and
• Space heaters and fireplaces.

According to the U. S. Fire Administration, fires during the holiday season injure 2,600 individuals and cause over $930 million in damage each year. And, the National Fire Protection Association estimated that in 2002 (the last year for which statistics were available) there were 240 Christmas tree fires, resulting in 23 deaths, 12 injuries and $11.4 million in direct fire damage.

Holiday Home Safety Tips
Protecting your family can be relatively simple and inexpensive. To help prevent fire
fatalities in your home this holiday season:

• Keep your Christmas trees fresh – make sure the tree remains hydrated while in your
  home. When setting up a tree, keep it away from fireplaces and radiators. Place the
  tree out of the way of traffic and do not block doorways.
• Do not overload electrical outlets; turn off and unplug decorations before going to sleep or leaving the house.
• Watch the stove when cooking and do not leave the room.
• Do not leave candles unattended or place them on/near flammable décor, such as curtains, blankets, slipcovers and artificial greenery.
• Do not burn wrapping paper in the fireplace. A flash fire may result as wrapping can ignite suddenly and burn intensely.
• Install smoke alarms in every room in your home and change the batteries according to manufacturer’s instructions.
• Keep a fire extinguisher within easy reach in the rooms where fires are most likely to start such as the kitchen, bedroom and living room. When purchasing a fire extinguisher, choose the largest size that can be handled comfortably. Use a fire extinguisher when the fire is small and contained to create an escape path to safety when there is a clear exit behind you. Always call the fire department before you try to extinguish a fire yourself.
• Develop and practice an escape plan with the whole family. Plan two exit routes for each room, and practice your escape plan at night and during the day. Never reenter a burning home. Be sure that someone is responsible for waking young children and escorting them to safety. (For help developing a home fire escape plan, go to www.firefyi.org.)
• Be sure to clean your chimney before lighting it for the first time. A blocked flue can cause deadly carbon monoxide (CO) to build-up in your home. Install CO alarms on every level of your home and near sleeping areas.