By Charlotte Herdliska
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.
Inspect holiday lights each year before you put them up. Throw away light strands with frayed or pinched wires.
Water your Christmas tree every day. A dry tree is dangerous because it can catch on fire easily.
Consider using battery-operated flameless candles, which can look, smell and feel like real candles.
If you do use lit candles, make sure they are in stable holders and place them where they cannot be knocked down easily, especially if you have pets or small children about.
Heat Your Home Safely This Winter
Did you know that heating is the second leading cause of home fires? Please follow the Fire Department’s suggestions to keep your home warm and safe. One of the biggest mistakes is putting something too close to a heating source.
Keep anything that can burn 3 feet away from space heaters, fireplaces, wood stoves, and radiators.
Use portable heaters that have been listed by a testing laboratory (look for the laboratory’s label). These heaters should have an automatic shut-off switch so that if they are tipped over, they will turn off on their own.
Plug portable electric heaters directly into the wall outlet; DO NOT use an extension cord or power strip.
Kerosene heaters must be refueled outside.
Evenings (5-8 p.m.) are the peak time for home heating fires. Turn space heaters off when you leave the room or fall asleep. Older adults have a higher home fire death rate, and heating is the second leading cause of fire deaths for people ages 65 and over.
Let’s make this Holiday Season a safe one! Please contact your local Fire Marshal Charlotte with any questions or for a free home safety survey cherdliska@coronafire.org. (520) 762-9370. Rincon Valley Fire: tmooney@rinconvalleyfd.org
