From Lights to What’s in the Oven – Avoid Holiday Fires
It’s that time of year where everything is chaotic. It can be easy to forget what’s cooking on the stove or to turn off the lights on the tree at night. The last thing you want is to become a fire statistic, especially during the holiday season. Unfortunately, December is one of the most dangerous times of year for household fires, which is why it’s important for you to know how to reduce the risk.
In the Kitchen
According to the USFA, cooking is the primary reason for holiday fires. Food that is left unattended is the most common cause because of how easy it is to get distracted. To remember there’s food on the stove, carry a potholder or other kitchen utensil with you when you have to go to another room.
If you’re deep frying a turkey, do it outside on a flat service at least 10 feet from any structure.
Christmas Trees
If you have a live tree and it’s too dry, it goes up in flames faster than firewood if it catches on fire. According to the National Institute for Standards and Technology, turpentine is made out of pine trees, which makes it very explosive.
To prevent the fire, don’t leave Christmas lights on overnight. If the tree is dry, the lights could cause it to catch fire. Even if using LED lights that stay cool to the touch, it is better to be safe. You also don’t want to put a tree of any kind near heating sources. Although a well-watered tree is very difficult to ignite, keep it away from heat.
Also, a real tree will start to dry out after 4 weeks no matter how well it is watered.
Christmas Lights
Broken, frayed, or cracked light strings should never be used. Out of all the holiday fire safety tips, this is one that you really need to pay attention to because it can be easy to just take the lights and put them up if they are working.
When hanging lights outside, don’t use nails or staples because they can damage the wiring. Instead, you need to use UL-rated clips. Lights should be taken down within 3 months of being put up. Leaving them up year-round makes them susceptible to damage by animals.
Instituting Other Preventative Measures
There are ways that Rochester, Syracuse, and Buffalo area residents and even business owners can prevent holiday fires. One way is to upgrade existing security alarms to those with fire detection. If you don’t already have a security system in place, it is good to get one because it can immediately notify emergency services of a fire. You also want to put fire detectors throughout the home. The kitchen, near bedrooms, and wherever possible can be the difference between life and death.
Contact A Syracuse, Buffalo, and Rochester Security Company
SPS Fire & Security can help you institute safety measures to protect you, your family, your business, or anything else that is important to you. To learn more about how we can help, call us at 585-770-0348 today.