Home fire fatalities increase during the winter. To make sure communities know about the increased risk, the U.S. Fire Administration partners with the National Fire Protection Association to Put a Freeze on Winter Fires, focusing on hazards that may increase a family’s risk of having a house fire.
These tips are shared courtesy of USFA.
The winter holidays are a time for families and friends to get together. It’s fun to decorate for the winter holidays, but holiday decorations can increase your risk for a home fire. As you deck the halls this season, be fire smart.
Help make your holidays fire-safe by:
- Watering your live Christmas tree every day. A dry tree is a fire hazard. Trees too close to a heat source cause 1 in every 4 winter fires.
- Making sure you are using the right lights. Some lights are only for indoor or outdoor use, but not both.
- Replacing any string of lights with worn or broken cords or loose bulb connections.
- Choosing holiday decorations that are flame resistant or flame retardant.
- Keeping lit candles away from decorations and things that can burn. More than 1/3 of home decoration fires are started by candles. Consider using flameless candles — they look very similar and are safer.
- Blowing out lit candles and turn off all light strings and decorations when leaving the room or going to bed.
- Making sure your decorations don’t block windows and doors.
The following tips are from Electrical Safety Foundation International:
