Christmas Tree/ Holiday Safety Tips
The holiday seasons is full of fun and family get-togethers. However it is the most dangerous season of the year. The combination of highly combustible Christmas trees, large amounts of combustible/ electrical hazardous decorations, space heaters, and alcohol often result in an unpleasant holiday for some home owners and tenants. The following is some safety tips, links, and how dangerous it could be during the holidays:
How Dangerous It Could Be
- During the holidays there is an average of 2,600 injuries and $930 Million in damage from fires. USFA
- A very dry christmas tree can catch on fire and fully engulf an entire average size living room in just about one minute! USFA
The Dangers of The Dry Christmas Tree
Probably the biggest danger in your household is a Christmas tree. These highly combustible decorations account for about 300 fires a year, resulting in 14 deaths and 40 injuries. That means 1 in every 22 christmas tree fires will be fatal this year alone! These fires rack up a bill of about $16 million in damage a year.
This year, due to the danger of these trees, the Dutchess County Professional Firefighters constructed a small 10x10 room and furnished it as a common living room with a christmas tree. Below is a timeline of that demonstration in estimated minutes:seconds to show county residents this danger:
RELATED LINKS:
Holiday Season Safety Tips
TREE SAFETY:
- WATER YOUR CHRISTMAS TREE. A wet tree is extremely hard to catch fire, however a dry one is more flammable than gasoline!
- MAKE SURE YOUR TREE IS FRESH. When you purchase your tree, make sure the needles do not fall off easily. If you bounce a tree on its trunk, only a couple of needles should fall. If a lot do then the tree is not fresh and a fire hazard.
- CARE FOR YOUR TREE. Keep your trees away from a heat source. Try to keep them away from a fireplace because they will dry your tree out faster.
LIGHT SAFETY:
- INSPECT YOUR LIGHTS. Inspect your lights for any cuts in the insulation. Do not home make or use uninspected lights, all lights should have been inspected and stamped by UL.
- DO NOT OVERLOAD THE SOCKETS. Do not link more than three strands of lights unless directions say you could. Periodically check the condition of your lights. Try not to leave the lights unattended.
DECORATION SAFETY:
- USE NONFLAMMABLE DECORATIONS.
- NEVER PUT WRAPPING PAPER IN THE FIREPLACE.
- IF YOU ARE USING AN ARTIFICIAL TREE, MAKE SURE IT IS FIRE RETARDANT.
Holiday Season Safety Links
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