Holiday Decorations and Fire Safety Tips

The Oklahoma City Fire Department is recommending a few safety tips to ensure a safe and happy holiday season.

Sunday, December 13th 2009, 3:31 am

By: News 9


The Oklahoma City Fire Department is recommending a few safety tips to ensure a safe and happy holiday season.

General Safety Tips

· Be sure you have a working smoke detector in your home. Check the detector monthly and change the batteries annually.

· Practice home escape drills. Be sure to have two exits from every room and have a meeting place outside, in front of your home.

· Use caution with smoking materials. Utilize large ashtrays that will not allow smoking materials to fall out of them.

· Keep matches and lighters out of the reach of children.

· Use caution when burning candles. Never leave them burning unattended and keep them out of the reach of children.

Natural Pine Christmas Trees

· Choose a fresh tree with high moisture content.

· Choose a tree that is not shedding needles.

· Keep the tree outdoors until you are ready to decorate.

· Re-saw the base of the tree trunk about one-inch above the original cut. This will provide a fresh large surface for water to soak into the tree.

· Place the tree in a sturdy tree stand with a base wide enough to hold up the tree. Make sure the tree will not tip over before decorating.

· The stand should have a water trough that will allow the tree to absorb water.

· Maintain water in the trough and do not allow the tree to dry out.

· Keep the tree at least three feet away from any heat source.

· Never use candles or any other open flame as decorations on the tree. Using wax candles on or near a tree is a serious fire hazard.

Artificial Christmas Trees

· Choose trees marked, "Flame Retardant" by a recognized testing agency.

· Keep the tree at least three feet away from any heat source.

· Never use electric lights on a metal tree.

Christmas Tree and Outdoor Lighting

· Never use an open flame such as candles on Christmas trees or any other combustible holiday decorations.

· Keep light bulbs away from combustible material. Most bulbs used in light strings will become very hot during use.

· Always replace broken bulbs before applying power to a light string.

· Use only Underwriters Laboratories (UL) approved lights. Follow the directions on the lights to prevent connecting too many strings to an outlet. If the directions do not give a maximum number of light strings to be linked together, use a maximum of three strings linked together.

· Check tree and outdoor lights each year before using them. Look for frayed wires, loose connections, broken or cracked sockets, and exposed bare wires. Repair or replace any damaged light sets.

· Never attempt to repair light strings or replace bulbs when the string is energized.

· Fasten all lights securely to the tree. Light bulbs should not come into direct contact with needles or branches. Curtains and other combustibles should also be kept away from lights.

· Do not overload receptacles. Only one item should be plugged in at each outlet. Never use multiple outlets or gang adapters when connecting light strings.

· Do not overload extension cords. Do not put more than three sets of lights on any extension cord. Keep the connection joints away from the water supply of a live tree.

· Outdoor lights should be weatherproof and designed for outdoor use.

Tree Ornaments and Trimmings

· Trimmings used on trees or around the home should be non-combustible or flame resistant.

· Keep natural evergreen and artificial decorations away from candles, fireplaces, or other open flames.

· Never use wax candles on or near a tree or other combustible decorations. Decorative candles should always be kept away from children.

· Stockings and other combustibles should not be placed or hung from the fireplace when there is a fire burning.

· Use caution with your fireplace. Do not build any fire too big. Open the damper before lighting a fire. Keep combustibles at least three feet away from the fireplace. Never burn an old Christmas tree in the fireplace.

· Pick up wrapping paper as you open gifts. Piles of loose paper can pose a serious fire hazard. Do not burn wrapping paper in a fireplace, dispose of it in a trashcan.

Holiday Cooking

· Keep handles on pots and pans turned away from the edge of the stove, out of the reach of children.

· Do not wear loose clothing while cooking. Loose sleeves can easily catch fire from the heat or flame of a stove.

· Do not place a turkey or ham in an oven to cook unattended. Someone should always be present in the home while these items are cooking.

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