One of the most wonderful times of the year can quickly turn into the most dangerous time of year without proper fire prevention. As you decorate and spread holiday cheer remember some of these simple tips:
- Water it or Bonfire it – Live Christmas trees are not only beautiful, but have that special Christmas smell! But, without the proper care and attention, you can be putting an instant match into your office or home. These simple tasks are a must:
- Keep your tree watered.
- Keep your tree away from heaters and flames.
- And discard your tree when dry.
- Using the glow – Candles can have that warm beautiful glow and can make any office smell like grandma’s Christmas cookies. Remember to place candles away from papers, blinds, lamps or other low hanging flammable items. It only takes a moment for a fire to get out of control!
- Plug it in…but properly – Remember to:
- Never use an indoor extension cord, outdoors
- Never use a frayed or damaged cord – BUY A NEW ONE
- One adapter per outlet! Do not accept the challenge to see how many electrical appliances you can plug into one outlet!!
- Do not plug one extension cord into another; 50 foot of electrical cord does not mean 5, 10 foot cords plugged into each other.
- Not all cords are created equally! In fact, most house fires are caused by improper cord usage. Look for the number of watts on the appliance and then purchase the proper extension cord.
- Do not connect a Three-Prong plug in a Two-Hole cord.
- Have a monitored fire system – When you’re away, a fire can smolder for hours without the outside world noticing. With a monitored fire system, it is possible for help to be dispatched before even the neighbors notice. This can save valuable property along with priceless mementos and memories!
For more tips on keeping your property from a fire, go to NFPA.ORG.
