Holiday Safety

The winter holidays are a time for celebration, and that means more cooking, home decorating, entertaining, and an increased risk of fire due to heating equipment.

Facts & Figures*

• In 1998, there were 300 Christmas trees fires in U.S. homes, resulting in 11 injuries and $8 million in direct property damage.

• Decorating with lit candles can also be a fire hazard. Between 1994 and 1998, there were 9,930 home fires per year caused by candles, with an annual average of 119 deaths, 1,043 injuries and $144.5 million in property damage associated.

        (*From NFPA's U.S. Home Product Report, Forms and Types of Materials First Ignited in Fires and NFPA's Candle Fires in U.S. Homes and Other Occupancies.)

Safety Tips:

Holiday Decorating & Lighting

• Use caution with holiday decorations and whenever possible, choose those made with flame-resistant, flame-retardant or non-combustible materials.

• Keep candles away from decorations and other combustible materials, and do not use candles to decorate Christmas trees.

• Purchase only lights and electrical decorations bearing the name of an independent testing lab, and follow the manufacturer's instructions for installation and maintenance.

• Carefully inspect new and previously used light strings and replace damaged items before plugging lights in. Do not overload extension cords.

• Always unplug lights before replacing light bulbs or fuses.

• Don't mount lights in any way that can damage the cord's wire insulation (i.e., using clips, not nails).

• Keep children and pets away from light strings and electrical decorations.

• Turn off all light strings and decorations before leaving the house or going to bed.

Holiday Entertaining

• 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, or flush them down the toilet.

• 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.