“It’s the most wonderful time, of the year”! That’s a whole lot of pressure not to “blow it”, each year. If you are a parent then you know exactly what I mean. Don’t get me wrong, Christmas is wonderful. But, it is also a very tall order. We are trying to create those incredible “Red Ryder BB Gun” memories for our kids. Having a Christmas tree catch fire and burn the house down would no doubt be memorable but it’s not exactly the right kind of fire to roast chestnuts with and sing a “yuletide carols”.
Based on data from the national Fire Protection Association (NFPA) and the U.S. Fire Administration (USFA), an estimated 240 home fires involving Christmas trees and another 150 home fires involving holiday lights and other decorative lighting occur each year. Together, these fires result in 21 deaths and $25.2 million in direct property damage each Christmas Season. Taking the time to follow a few safety tips can greatly reduce risk and “help to make the season bright”.
Step One: Make sure that none of your Christmas decorations, especially those Christmas trees, are blocking your fire exits. Maintaining the proper egress aka fire escape plan is the most important part of your home or office fire defense. Make sure that none of those festive decorations are creating a potential death trap.
Step Two: Test those smoke and CO detectors! Batteries should be changed annually and detectors should be replaced after ten years of service. Some things have to work every single time like pace-makers and parachutes. Don’t take any chances with your smoke and CO alarms.
Step Three: Make sure that all decorations, including trees are at least three feet from fireplaces, furnaces, radiators and space heaters. Basically we are looking for a buffer zone between decorations and any source of heat.
Step Four: It is important that decorations be secure and cannot be easily knocked or blown down. This can be a serious problem when the cat or dog decides to climb the Christmas tree or have a tussle with the Christmas lights.
Step Five: You should definitely inspect your fireplace before using it each season. I included this because many people may like to have a fire blazing during the holiday season. If you would like to attempt to inspect your fireplace yourself please make sure to that you watch this video, “How to inspect your fireplace”. With 25,000 chimney fires a year in the U.S. you should not take any chances.
Step Six: Appropriate maintenance and watering of a fresh Christmas tree is of the utmost importance. Definitely want to read this article on Christmas tree safety.
Let’s make the season bright and keep our kids and family safe for the holidays. Safety and security may not fit in a Christmas stocking but they are still a couple of awesome gifts. Merry Christmas to all and to all a good quality CO Detector.