Holiday Home Fire Risks Increase

Candle Set Recall Notice

Here's a short reminder list of fire safety things to think about.

It's not difficult to understand why this is a painful time of year for firefighters who respond to home fires. Not only do they frequently get called away from their own family celebrations, they see the destruction first-hand.

Firefighters know all too well that our minds are usually preoccupied with far more festive thoughts than fire safety. But, they keep telling us to take better precautions. Take their warnings seriously.

Let's be specific.

What are the kinds of things do we often do at this time of year that makes the threat of fire go up? Well, for starters..

• Curling up by a blazing fireplace
• Lighting our tables, windows and bedrooms with glowing candles
• Festooning our landscapes and interiors with twinkling electric lights and decorations
• Filling our holiday environments with highly combustible materials like Christmas trees and wrapping paper

It sounds normal and safe enough, right? But.

• A stray ember from a still glowing log that jumps the fire screen after your family has gone to bed, could cause a lethal ending to your beautiful day.
• Untended candles look for ways to keep the fire alive, whether the fire starts on your tablecloth, bedroom curtains or other bedside materials. Never leave a candle untended.
• Overloaded electrical circuits are considered the prime source of the hundreds of Christmas tree fires that start each year. Follow manufacturer's instructions for how many light strands to plug together. Look for U.L. rated electrical lights.
• A stray spark may be all it takes to ignite wrapping paper or dry tree needles.

Here is a Holiday Fire Safety Checklist from the No Burns! Project

• Be sure to test all smoke detectors at the start of the holiday season.
• Buy a fresh live tree that doesn't drop needles when you shake the limbs.
• Using a pruning saw, trim off one to two inches from the base of the tree trunk before placing it in a stand. The fresh cut will help the tree absorb water, which will help it retain its needles longer.
• Use a heavy-duty tree stand designed to not tip over.
• Position the tree at least 3 feet away from any heat source.
• Don't block an exit with the tree.
• Position the tree close to an electrical outlet to avoid needing extension cords to plug in tree lights.
• If old strings of lights have broken or worn wires or loose bulb connections - THROW THEM OUT and purchase new ones.
• Look for tree lights that carry the UL label, which indicates that they have been tested by Underwriters' Laboratories.
• ALWAYS follow the manufacturer's instructions when using new U.L.-approved strings of lights on your house or tree.
• If you buy an artificial tree, be sure it is clearly marked 'Fire Retardant'.
• NEVER use tree lights on a metallic artificial tree.
• Give your fresh tree water daily. Assign someone the task & be SURE they fill the reservoir daily.
• ALWAYS turn off the tree lights while you are away from home or before going to bed at night.
• NEVER use real candles to decorate the tree.
• NEVER leave candles unattended in a room.
• Don't put candles in a location where children or pets could knock them down.
• Never throw wrapping paper into the fireplace.

Since 1998 the No Burns! Project has conducted public awareness campaigns using innovative products to help deliver memorable burn prevention messages. It also maintains an educational website. No Burns! educational services, products, and programs have been used to help raise burn safety awareness for members of the media, hospital patients, students, parents, company employees, homeowners and renters, maternity ward and other hospital administrators, new mothers, children, grandparents, fire services and other professional or non-profit organizations, which often use its products for fundraising.

For more information on fire and scald safety, visit www.NoBurns.org.

The single most important device to help protect you and your family from a devastating fire is a FUNCTIONING smoke detector.

For more information on how to properly test your smoke alarms, see the related e-Alert article.

Have a Happy, Safe Holidays,

My Home Owners Club