Practice Fire Safety this Holiday Season

Whether you celebrate Christmas, Hanukkah or Kwanza, or you just want to find ways to stay warm when the weather gets icy, everyone needs to remember to stay fire safe this season.

Here are a few tips to help you stay fire safe this holiday season:

• Make sure all electrical appliances - including holiday lights and cords - have the Underwriters Laboratory (UL) mark.
• Place candles at least four feet away from curtains, drapes, blinds, kitchen cabinets and bedding.
• Never leave burning candles unattended.
• Keep all candles out of reach of children.
• If you buy a Christmas tree, buy it early. Usually tree lots receive only one shipment of trees … and they don’t become fresher the longer they sit in a lot. The drier the tree, the more prone to catching fire.
• Keep water levels above the cut of the tree and check the level daily (a fresh tree may soak up a gallon of water per day).
• Try to position a tree near an electrical outlet to minimize the use of extension cords.

For more information and helpful tips on how to keep your home fire safe this season, take a look at our Winter and Holiday Fire Safety or Fire Safety for Jewish Observances pages.