Stay Safe This Holiday Season

12/17/2021 (Permalink)

Have a safe holiday season!

If your home, like millions of other households in the United States, includes a Christmas tree and festive holiday decorations, you should be aware that the breathtaking beauty of the decorations also comes with a fire risk. That is why we are offering helpful tips to people as we come closer to one of the biggest holidays of the year!  

Candles and Christmas trees have been reported to be two of the contributing factors of fires during the winter months. According to the U.S. Fire Administration, Christmas trees account for an estimated 200 fires annually and cause more than $6 million in property damage. Candles alone cause an estimated 15,600 fires each year, causing 1,270 injuries and more than $539 million in property damage. December is the peak month for candle fires, and Christmas is the peak day. 

The following are a few tips for individuals to consider when putting up and maintaining their holiday decorations this December: 

• Do not overload power outlets with holiday lights. Pay close attention to the 
manufacturer's instructions on the number of lights you can string together. 
• Consider using battery-operated flameless candles. 
• Be careful not to splatter wax when extinguishing a candle. 
• Use flashlights instead of candles for emergency lighting. 
• Do not purchase a Christmas tree that is dry or dropping needles excessively. 
Be sure to water your Christmas tree regularly. 
• Do not use strings of lights that are worn, frayed, manually spliced or broken. 
• If you purchase an artificial tree, be sure it is labeled fire-retardant. 
• Do not link more than three light strands unless the directions indicate it is safe. 
Connect strings of lights to an extension cord before plugging the cord into the 
outlet. Be sure to periodically check the wires; they should not be warm to the 
touch. 

If a fire disaster does strike your home, SERVPRO offers services to help people quickly recover and restore any damaged property. Within four hours of the initial notification, SERVPRO will be on-site to start the mitigation process. 

For more information please visit https://www.SERVPROcarsoncitydouglascountysouthlaketahoe.com/ or call us at (775) 588-2355.