Holiday Safety

TO REDUCE HOLIDAY FIRES, THE U.S. FIRE ADMINISTRATION OFFERS TIPS ON USING
CHRISTMAS TREES, CANDLES AND DECORATIONS

"We see that fires caused by candles increase fourfold during the holidays, and each year some 200 house fires occur where Christmas trees
are the initial source of ignition,” said Michael D. Brown, Under Secretary of Homeland Security for Emergency Preparedness and Response.
“Preventing these fires helps keep the holiday season joyful for this nation’s families.”

All told, house fires during the winter holiday season kill about 500 and injure about 2,000 people, and cause more than $500 million in damage.

But, R. David Paulison, head of the USFA, which is part of FEMA, said Americans don’t have to give up their holiday decorations in the interest of safety. There are some easy, commonsense things people can do to reduce their risk of a fire, he said. The USFA recommends:

• Selecting a fresh Christmas tree that is kept in water at all times. Needles on fresh trees should be green and should not fall off easily. Don’t put your tree up too early or leave it up longer than two weeks.
• Dried out Christmas trees can ignite easily and boost a fire by spreading it rapidly to nearby combustible materials! Christmas trees account for 400 fires annually, resulting in 10 deaths, 80 injuries and more than $15 million in property damage. More facts and video clips about how dangerous a dry tree is.
• Placing your Christmas tree in a safe place, away from heat sources such as a fireplace or heat vent.
• When decorating Christmas trees, always use safe tree lights. (Some lights are designed only for indoor or outdoor use, but not both.) Larger tree lights should also have some type of reflector rather than a bare bulb and all lights should be listed by a testing laboratory.
• Never use electric lights on a metal tree.
• Follow the manufacturer's instructions on how to use tree lights. Any string of lights with worn, frayed or broken cords or loose bulb connections should not be used.
• Always unplug Christmas tree lights before leaving home or going to sleep.
• Never use lit candles to decorate a tree, and place them well away from tree branches.
• Try to keep live trees as moist as possible by giving them plenty of water daily. Do not purchase a tree that is dry or dropping needles.
• Choose a sturdy tree stand designed not to tip over.
• Children are fascinated with Christmas trees. Keep a watchful eye on them when around the tree and do not let them play with the wiring or lights.
• Store matches and lighters up high, out of the reach of children, preferably in a locked cabinet.
• Make sure the tree is at least three feet (one meter) away from any heat source and try to position it near an outlet so that cords are not running long distances. Do not place the tree where it may block exits.
• Safely dispose of the tree when it begins dropping needles. Dried-out trees are highly flammable and should not be left in a house or garage, or placed against the house.
• Maintaining your holiday lights. Inspect your lights before you use them to ensure they don’t have frayed wires, gaps in the insulation, broken or cracked sockets or excessive wear. Only use lighting that is listed by an approved testing laboratory and don’t leave the lights on when you’re not home.
• Avoiding overloading electrical outlets. Don’t link more than three light strands unless the directions indicate it is safe. Periodically check the wires. They should not be warm to the touch.
• Using only nonflammable decorations that are placed away from heat vents and if you’re using an artificial tree, make sure that it’s flame retardant.
• Avoiding using candles. If you do use candles, ensure they are in a stable holder and place them where they cannot be easily knocked down. Do not leave lit candles unattended, never put candles on a Christmas tree and never leave the house with candles burning.
• Artificial snow sprays can irritate lungs if inhaled. To avoid injury, read container labels; follow directions carefully.

Holiday Entertining

• Unattended cooking is the leading cause of home fires in the U.S. When cooking for holiday visitors, remember to keep an eye on the range.
• Provide plenty of large, deep ashtrays and check them frequently. Cigarette butts can smolder in the trash and cause a fire, so completely douse cigarette butts with water before discarding.
• After a party, always check on, between and under upholstery and cushions and inside trash cans for cigarette butts that may be smoldering.
• Keep matches and lighters up high, out of sight and reach of children (preferably in a locked cabinet). When smokers visit your home, ask them to keep their smoking materials with them so young children do not touch them.
• Test your smoke alarms, and let guests know what your fire escape plan is

“It’s also important to know that fires caused by children increase during the holiday season. According to our National Fire Incident Reporting System, children will cause close to 60 house fires a day in mid-December, with another sharp increase on New Year’s Day,” said Paulison. “Parents should take precautions to prevent such tragedies.”

More information is available on the FEMA Web site at www.fema.gov and on the USFA Web site at www.usfa.fema.gov. A video clip of a Christmas tree catching fire, courtesy of the National Institute of Standards and Technology, can be viewed at: http://www.usfa.fema.gov/public/factsheets/treefir.shtm

More Facts and Data:

USFA A Season for Sharing Fire Safety