Focus on holiday safety

The holiday season is a time to celebrate with those closest to you, but it’s also a time when more than 400 people die in fires, hundreds more are injured and approximately $990 million in damages occur, according to the U.S. Fire Administration.

To help ensure your family is not visited by the fire department this holiday season, the Burn Foundation is offering the following tips to keep your home and your loved ones safe:

Candles

Make sure that candles, whether they’re part of your menorah or on the dining room table, are placed in secure holders.

Keep candles away from flammable objects, pets and children.

Never leave burning candles unattended. If there isn’t an adult in the room, no candles should be alight either.

Fifty-six percent of home candle fires occur when something that can catch on fire is too close to the candle, according to the National Fire Protection Association. In December, the peak time for home candle fires, 11 percent began with decorations compared to 4 percent the rest of the year.

Holiday lights

All lights, whether used indoors or outdoors, should be certified by a recognized testing laboratory to guarantee that they comply with safety standards.

Inspect lights for cracks, frayed cords or damaged sockets. Never attempt to fix lights with any of these issues — throw them away and buy replacements.

Do not leave holiday lights on for an extended period of time, and be sure to unplug all lights and decorations before going to bed or leaving your home.

Never connect more than three strings of light to an extension cord, and don’t run extension cords under carpeting.

Christmas trees

Dry branches are very flammable, so if you’re using a live Christmas tree, remember to water it every day.

If you’re buying an artificial tree, make sure the label says it’s “fire resistant.” While this won’t ensure that your tree won’t catch fire, it does mean that the tree won’t burn as easily and should extinguish more quickly.

Keep lighting on your tree to a minimum. According to the National Fire Protection Association, one of every three home Christmas tree fires is caused by electrical problems. On average, one of every 40 reported home Christmas tree fires results in a death compared to an average of one death per 142 total reported home fires.

Place the tree away from fireplaces, candles, radiators and anything else that could spark a fire.

Heating devices

Get your heating equipment a checkup. A trained professional should inspect your heating devices each year and, if necessary, clean them before use.

Keep your devices at least three feet away from anything that burns. This includes obvious things like fabric, draperies and furniture but also people and pets.

Space or portable heaters should only be turned on if there’s an alert adult in the room. If the adult plans to leave or go to sleep, the heater should be turned off.

Only use space or portable heaters that have the Underwriter’s Laboratory (UL) safety listing. Be sure it also has a thermostat control mechanism, which ensures the heater will automatically turn off if it accidentally falls or is pushed over.