Holiday Fire Prevention Tips for the Home
Ways to Prevent House Fires During the Holidays
Dec 5, 2008
Each fall, firefighters across the United States and Canada see a dramatic increase in the number of house fires. In fact, according to Massachusetts State Fire Marshall Stephen Coan, Christmas Eve 2007 was the one day with the most reported house fires for the entire year!
"The holiday season brings many fire hazards, all of which are preventable. So I can never stress enough how important it is for people to understand exactly how house fires start during the holidays. Once people understand where the danger for house fires lies, they can take active measures to reduce the risk of property damage, injury or worse from a holiday season house fire," Coan explained in a December 2008 interview with Suite101's Mia Carter.
The Massachusetts State Fire Marshall offered the following tips to prevent house fires around Christmas.
Hints for Preventing Christmas Tree Fires
- When purchasing a Christmas tree, tap the tree trunk against the ground. If a large quantity of pine needles fall off, the tree has dried out, posing a fire hazard. Do not purchase a live Christmas tree if the pine needles fall off.
- When bringing a live Christmas tree home, make a fresh cut on the tree trunk. This will enable the Christmas tree to "drink water" more effectively.
- Keep the live Christmas tree in a sturdy Christmas tree stand, with plenty of water at all times. Check the water level daily.
- Monitor the condition of the Christmas tree, especially during the latter part of December. Once the pine needles start to fall off easily, the tree has dried out, posing a serious fire hazard.
- Do not place Christmas trees or any other combustible items near a fireplace or space heater.
- If purchasing a fake Christmas tree, only purchase a tree that's fire retardant.
Fire Prevention Tips for Christmas Lights and Other Holiday Decorations
- When purchasing Christmas lights and electric holiday decorations, only purchase items with a UL (Underwriters Laboratories) sticker, seal or logo. A UL sticker or logo on holiday decorations and Christmas lights indicates that the item has passed rigorous quality control testing and safety testing with Underwriters Laboratories.
- Before putting Christmas lights up on the Christmas tree or on the house, check the cord for evidence of fraying, chew marks, melting or any other damage. Wire damage is a prime cause of electrical fires.
- When using strings of Christmas lights, check each and every Christmas light to ensure that the bulb is sitting properly in the socket.
- Limit the use of electrical cords and avoid using electrical socket adapters that create room for additional plugs. This poses a serious fire hazard.
- Unplug the Christmas tree lights, electrical holiday ornaments and outdoor Christmas lights when not in use. Before plugging them back in, inspect the cord and plug for signs of damage.
- If pets are present in the home, place decoration and Christmas light power cords inside PVC piping to help prevent damage from a dog, cat or other pet chewing, clawing or otherwise damaging the cord.
- Do not leave Christmas lights or other decorations plugged in when there's no one home.
- Only use "outdoor" or "indoor/outdoor" Christmas lights on the exterior of a home.
Other Holiday Hazards in the Home
- Check that all smoke detectors (and carbon monoxide detectors) are operational, with fresh batteries. This will help alert residents quickly in the event that a fire breaks out inside the home.
- Keep a full size fire extinguisher on each floor of the home, and in the garage, basement and utility areas. If a holiday fire does break out inside the home, a fire extinguisher will be a first line of defense, preventing the rapid spread of a fire, especially in the case of a Christmas tree fire.
- Do not leave cooking food unattended when using the stove. Holiday cooking fires are common, especially when family and friends are visiting - the cook can become distracted and forget about the food on the stove.
- Limit the use of candles. Candles are a primary cause of house fires during the holiday season. Never leave a candle unattended and avoid the use of candles when children and pets are present.
"So many house fires are preventable, especially during the holiday season," Coan said, concluding, "I urge people to pay attention to these holiday hazards and just use common sense."
Looking for more tips on preventing holiday hazards for pets? Check out Holiday Hazards for Cats and Dogs.
Homeowners may also enjoy learning tips to save on the cost of heating a home during the winter in How to Save Money on Home Heating Costs.
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