provided to Santiva Chronicle
This holiday season looks a little different this year with smaller celebrations and gatherings due to Covid-19. To keep the spirit alive, holiday decorating is at an all-time high. Flickering lights, the smell of a Christmas tree, and fun automated figurines fill our homes. But they also present fire risks that can quickly turn this festive time of year into a devastating one.
Sanibel Fire & Rescue District would like to offer our residents and visitors a few winter holiday safety tips:
• Choose decorations that are flame resistant or flame retardant for around the home and on Christmas trees.
• Keep decorations away from a stove or other cooking equipment.
• Replace any holiday lights with worn or broken cords or loose bulb connections.
• Make sure your Christmas tree is at least three feet away from any heat source, like fireplaces, radiators, candles, heat vents or lights.
• Always keep water in your Christmas tree stand. Check daily and add water as needed.
• Blow out lit candles when you leave the room.
• Never plug multiple extension cords together, check for any fraying or damage to the cord, and don’t overload the extension cord.
“We know holiday decorations, various heat sources, and misuse of Christmas tree lights and multi-plug adaptors account for 45 percent to 60 percent of structure fires this time of year,” said Larry Williams, Division Chief of Fire Prevention at Sanibel Fire and Rescue District. “Fire prevention is the easiest way to stay safe. If our residents and visitors follow these simple safety tips, they greatly decrease the chances of a fire happening in their homes.”
Contact Williams at LWilliams@SanibelFire.com with any questions.
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