DECK THE HALLS WITH FIRE SAFETY

11/30/2021 (Permalink)

christmas fire safety

Thanksgiving is behind us and holiday decoration season is officially in full swing. Nothings says winter quite like candles, Christmas lights twinkling in the dark, a fire place and a decked out tree in the living room. Decorating for holidays are great way to get into the holiday spirit and celebrate with family and friend, but make sure fire prevention is still in the back of your mind and you’re doing everything you can to keep yourself and your family safe over the holidays.

Holiday Lights and Decorations

First and foremost, it is important to use ground fault circuit interrupters (GFCIs) for all indoor and outdoor holiday season lighting. For indoor holiday season lighting, the NPFA also recommends the following:

• Always purchase the lights and other electrical decorations from reputable sellers
• Use lights that have been approved for safe use by a nationally recognized testing laboratory
• Identify how many outlets are available and their location, and plan your displays accordingly
• Inspect each strand of lights and other electrical decorations
• Follow the manufacturer’s use and care instructions for all electrical decorations
• Avoid overloading electrical outlets with too many decorations

Buying and Setting Up a Christmas Tree

• Pick the right tree.
• For an artificial tree, check that it is labeled by the manufacturer as flame retardant.
• For a live tree, don’t forget to water it on a daily basis that will keep it hydrated and less likely to catch fire.
• Place the tree at least three feet away from all heat sources, such as fireplaces, wood stoves and radiators.

Christmas Tree Maintenance

• Water the tree daily to keep it as moist as possible
• Dispose of the tree properly once it stars dropping needles, dried out trees are highly flammable, so you should not leave them in the house or lean them against the side of your home.

Deck those halls and jingle your bells to your heart’s content, but don’t let fire safety fall to the wayside.

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to call SERVPRO of Ventura at (805) 656-3911