With Christmas trees drying, keep fire safety as a concern
Since a number of our homes are decked with lights and most of us have found a cozy spot for the Christmas tree by now, we should all remember to maintain a close eye on fire safety for the final days of the holiday season.
Among all the gifts and holiday spirit, fire safety might not always be the first priority. But a fire has the potential to ruin the holidays in a hurry, especially if it’s your home that’s burning.
While there will always be fires which likely could not have been prevented, countless others are the result of negligence. And when it comes to house fires, property damage is the least of your worries. There is also the possibility of loss of life.
Fire has killed more Americans than all natural disasters combined. Nationwide, there are usually right around 4,000 deaths due to fire each year. A little preventive maintenance can help avoid a holiday tragedy.
Some of us have had our Christmas trees up since the day after Thanksgiving. While this is a source of enjoyment, if you have a live tree in your home, it’s important not to let the tree dry out and become a fire hazard.
It should also be stressed a Christmas tree in the living room often means it’s time to rearrange the furniture. This isn’t a bad thing unless a piece of furniture gets moved too close to a source of heat.
Lights are a popular decoration and we are blessed so many people here in Warren County take the time to construct elaborate light displays. At the same time, having thousands of lights around your home does increase the likelihood of fire.
It’s also a wise idea to unplug light displays and Christmas tree lights when going to bed or leaving the house. Most of the time there are no problems with these lights, but you don’t want to be away from home – or asleep inside – in case there’s trouble.
With just a touch of fire awareness, you can increase your chances of finishing the year with a fire-free holiday season.