ImageHeader
  • Home
  • Services
    • Commercial Property Damage Restoration
    • Fire Damage Restoration
    • Water Damage Restoration for Philadelphia and Southern New Jersey
    • Mold Damage Remediation
    • Professional Biohazard Cleanup
    • Emergency Board Up
  • Our Team
  • Customer Reviews
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Report a Loss
  • Contact Us
holiday fire safety

The 12 Days of Holiday Fire Safety Tips

Posted by Kristine Allcroft, PhD 
· November 28, 2014 

It’s that time of year again . . .
The turkey’s all gone (or at least it’s leftovers now) and folks are ready to start decorating for the Big 3: Hanukkah, Christmas, and Kwanza. So now it’s time for a little “brush up” on holiday fire safety tips before the big 3 arrive with our

12 Days of Holiday Fire Safety Tips:

    Day 1

    Use wooden or fiberglass ladders when decorating outdoors. Metal ladders conduct electricity and could cause a nasty shock or spark an electrical fire!

    Day 2

    When decorating outside, use caution near power lines. Keep yourself and your decorations at least 10 feet from power lines. Take care not to attach the lights in a way that could damage the cord’s insulation (e.g., with a staple gun). Place spotlights used to illuminate decorations in well-ventilated areas, protected from weather, and placed a safe distance from flammable items. And, if we should be so lucky to have a White Christmas, remember to keep all extension cords and light strings clear of snow and standing water.

holiday-fire-safety-begins-with-gfci-electrical-protection

    Day 3

    Use extension cords wisely. Make sure all extension cords and electrical decorations used for outdoor decorating are marked “for outdoor use,” and inspect them for cracks before you use them. Outdoor electric lights and decorations should be plugged into circuits protected by ground fault circuit interrupters (GFCIs). If circuits are not GFCI-protected, consider getting an electrician to install them for you. But, in a pinch, portable outdoor GFCIs can be purchased where electrical supplies are sold and require no special knowledge or equipment to install!

    Day 4

    Use lights and extension cords approved for safe use by a nationally recognized testing laboratory like Underwriters Laboratories (UL), ETL-SEMKO (ETL) or Canadian Standards Association (CSA). And never connect more than three strands of incandescent lights together!
    This year, you might want to consider purchasing LED lights – they use less energy and run cooler than traditional incandescent lights. And, make sure you turn off all indoor and outdoor electrical decorations before leaving home or going to sleep.

    Day 5

    Water Fresh Trees Daily! When it’s time to trim the tree and you decide to use a fresh one, make sure to keep the base of the trunk in water at all times. And keep your fresh tree or holiday decorations away from ignition sources like space heaters, fire places or candles.

    Day 6

    Make sure you have working smoke alarms and working carbon monoxide alarms. Remember they wear out after 7-10 years, so if you can’t remember when they were installed, it’s time to think about replacing them as you decorate this year.

    Day 7

    With that little holiday nip in the air, space heaters help to keep things warm and cozy inside. But . . . make sure to give space heaters space! Remember to keep them at least 3 feet away from anything like curtains, upholstery or holiday decorations that could ignite.

    Day 8

    Keep family members who smoke outside when they light up! Careless smoking is still the leading cause of fatal fires, so ask your family members who smoke to make sure their cigarette butts are extinguished in water or sand-filled ashtrays before returning to the festivities inside.

    Day 9

    Whether it’s Hanukah, Kwanza, or Christmas you celebrate, candles are part of the celebration that help to keep the season bright. Remember: When you go out, blow out! Candle fires are second only to cooking for causing fires during the holidays. Keep candles away from kids, pets, and anything that can burn like curtains and furniture.

    Day 10

    There’s more to responsible drinking than calling a cab to take your tipsy guests home after a party! With all the festive cheer this time of year, keep a close eye on anyone attempting to cook or smoke while under the influence of alcohol. Unfortunately, alcohol is a common causative factor in many holiday accidents and fires.

    Day 11

    Watch what you heat! The holiday season is one of the busiest times of the year. It’s easy to get distracted from cooking – which is why cooking fires increase at this time of year and is the leading cause of fires during the holidays. Always stay with your project, especially if you’re cooking with oil or grease. If it does catch fire, slide a tight fitting lid over the pot to smother the flames and turn off the heat. If the oil has over-boiled and flames erupt, never use water on a grease fire or the flames will explode. Smother them instead with baking soda.

    Day 12

    While it’s not fun to think about, with all the visitors that make their way to your home for the holidays, make sure everyone knows how to get out safely if a fire occurs. Make sure you have a designated “someone” to help young children, older adults, or persons with disabilities who may need additional assistance in the event of a fire.

But if the worst should happen and you need help cleaning up after a fire, remember PuroClean Emergency Recovery Services is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week – even during the holiday! – for all your fire damage restoration needs! Call 877-750-7876

Save

Related Posts

  • counterfeit christmas decorations pose fire dangersHealth & Fire Dangers: The Real Cost of Counterfeit Christmas Decorations
  • Celebrate July 4th Safety TipsHappy 4th of July! 5 Safety tips to enjoy your holiday to the max!
  • It’s fire prevention week – or how multitasking is turning us into idiotsIt’s fire prevention week – or how multitasking is turning us into idiots
  • Philadelphia hurricane preparednessPhiladelphia Hurricane Preparedness 101: Cash Is King!
  • Clean up after Hurricane Sandy: What to do while you waitClean up after Hurricane Sandy: What to do while you wait
  • Preparedness Tips for Pet OwnersAvoiding tragedy: 6 Preparedness Tips for Pet Owners
  • Fire Damage Cleanup in Aisle Four!
  • Top 3 Reasons To Invest In A Mold Inspection When You Buy A Home!: This article explains why you should always submit a purchase offer subject to a mold inspection. Learn more!Top 3 Reasons To Invest In A Mold Inspection When You Buy A Home!
  • Expert dry out of flooded basement in Hamilton, New JerseyBasement floods: Emergency Steps to take
  • mold removal services for Philadelphia and Southern New JerseyHow do you know you have a mold problem that needs professional mold removal services?
  • For Business owners and Homeowners: 4 Steps to take if your water heater bursts
  • water damage from burst ice maker supply line1 Smart Tip to avoid costly water damage to your home

Share this:

  • Tweet
Categories : Fire and Smoke Damage Restoration, Fire Damage Clean up New Jersey, Fire Damage Clean up Philadelphia, Homeowner Tips
Tags : fire prevention, holiday fire safety
Previous Post →
← Next Post

Comments

  1. Tips for Avoiding Ho Ho Ho -rrible Holiday damage - says:
    March 27, 2015 at 2:52 pm

    […] safety tips that come out this time of year focus on adults: avoiding electrocution by installing GFCI circuits, avoiding tree fires by inspecting the wires for possible damage, avoiding kitchen coo… and avoiding floods in kitchens from clogged dishwasher drain lines. And these are all important. […]

Recent Posts from the Blog

30 Tips To Get Your Home Ready For Winter!

December 12, 2017
30 Tips To Get Your Home Ready For Winter!: Are you ready for winter? Here are the top 30 tips to get your home ready PLUS 10 ways to reduce energy costs. Learn more!

Top 30 Tips To Get Your Home Ready For Winter! Winter is just around the corner and in some places has already arrived. PuroClean is proud to serve consumers and business owners in the Philadelphia and Southern NJ areas. One of our goals is to educate and inform our visitors about mold, fire, water, bio-hazard, […]

Read article →

Why Do Christmas Trees Cause Illness?

November 28, 2017
Why Do Christmas Trees Cause Illness?: Do you get sick soon after your Christmas tree is in the home? This article explains why. We also provide you with 8 Xmas tree fire safety tips. Learn more!

Your Christmas Tree Is Not Only A Fire Hazard, But Can Also Make You Sick From Mold! PuroClean is dedicated to informing our customers about mold and the health related concerns it causes. We are also passionate about fire prevention, which is particularly important during the holiday season because of the fire hazards posed by […]

Read article →

Top 10 Tips To Prevent Electrical Fires!

November 14, 2017
Top 10 Tips To Prevent Electrical Fires!: This article give you 10 tips to prevent electrical fires. Plus, we explain how a thermal imaging inspection could identify potential electrical problems!

Ten Tips To Prevent Electrical Fires, The 2nd Largest Cause! One of the core services that PuroClean offers to residents in Philadelphia and Southern NJ is fire and smoke restoration. Our team has helped many home and business owners restore their properties after experiencing a fire or smoke event. PuroClean has so many satisfied customers […]

Read article →

How to Avoid A Clothes Dryer Fire?

October 31, 2017
How to Avoid a Dryer Fire?: Did you know that approximately 15,500 fires are started by clothes dryers each year? This article explains why dirty dryer ducts are a fire hazard and what you can do to protect you and your family.

What Is The Number One Reason Clothes Dryers Are A Fire Hazard? One of the core services that PuroClean offers to residents in Philadelphia and Southern NJ is fire and smoke restoration. Our team has helped many home and business owners restore their properties after experiencing a fire or smoke event. PuroClean has so many […]

Read article →

Concerned About Mold In Schools?

October 17, 2017
Concerned About Mold In Schools?: There have been several high profile stories about mold in schools in Philadelphia and Southern NJ. If you have questions, we have answers!

Got Questions About Mold In Schools? We Have Answers! “Once school started again, he was having breathing issues; he didn’t have any issues over the summer. This is their health and they have to breathe this in. Every single day that they are there, six hours a day that they are at school. I don’t […]

Read article →
PuroClean Emergency Recovery Services
For Immediate 24/7 Response in the Greater Philadelphia and Southern NJ Region, Call 877-750-7876.
Services: Commercial Property Damage Restoration · Fire Damage Restoration · Water Damage Restoration
Mold Damage Remediation · Professional Biohazard Cleanup · Emergency Board Up
Our Team · Customer Reviews · Frequently Asked Questions · Report a Loss · Contact Us
Copyright © 2011-2022 by PuroClean Emergency Recovery Services. All Rights Reserved.
Site Credits