By Article Author
Now that we are finally getting some colder temperatures and we’ve almost had our fill of everything pumpkin spice, it’s now time to think about our next big winter holiday – Christmas.
In Vail, we are lucky that we typically do not need to worry about fall injuries from the accumulation of snow and ice. However, we still have our own hazards, if we are not careful with our holiday decorations. For instance, the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) report that lighting equipment was responsible for 44% of all Christmas tree fires, and candles were responsible for 57% of all holiday decoration fires.
NFPA has provided are some safety tips to ensure we have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.
- Keep lit candles away from holiday decorations. Better yet, only use electric candles.
- Replace any strings of lights with worn or broken cords or loose bulb connections.
- Please read manufacturer’s recommendations for number of allowed light strands to connect to avoid overheating and the overloading of a circuit.
- Purchase batteries for all for those new toys so you are not tempted to use a battery from a smoke alarm.
- It is easy to get distracted when having guests, but please try to stay in the kitchen when cooking.
- Choose a Christmas tree with fresh, green needles that do not fall off when touched, and make sure it stays watered.
- Make sure the Christmas tree is at least three feet from any heat source, like a fireplace, candles, or heat vents.
- Keep pets and children at least three feet from all cords and lighted candles.
- It is a good idea to shut off all Christmas lights when you go to bed.
- As always, test your smoke alarms.
- Basically, don’t do anything that occurred in National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation movie.
Have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!
