Lombard Fire offers holiday safety tips

The Lombard Fire Department offers the following simple tips that will help ensure a happy and fire-safe season:

Holiday Decorating

• Be careful with holiday decorations. Choose decorations that are flame resistant or flame retardant.

• Keep lit candles away from decorations and other things that can burn.

• Use lights that have the label of an independent testing laboratory. Some lights are only for indoor or outdoor use, but not both.

• Replace any string of lights with worn or broken cords or loose bulb connections. Connect no more than three strands of mini light sets and a maximum of 50 bulbs for screw-in bulbs.

• Use clips, not nails, to hang lights so the cords do not get damaged.

• Keep decorations away from windows and doors.

Holiday Entertaining

• Test your smoke alarms and tell guests about your home fire escape plan.

• Keep children and pets away from lit candles.

• Keep matches and lighters up high in a locked cabinet.

• Stay in the kitchen when cooking on the stove top.

• Ask smokers to smoke outside. Remind smokers to keep their smoking materials with them so young children do not touch them.

• Provide large, deep ashtrays for smokers. Wet cigarette butts with water before discarding.

Before Heading Off to Bed

• Blow out lit candles when you leave the room or go to bed.

• Turn off all light strings and decorations before leaving home or going to bed.

Fast Facts

• December is the peak time of year for home candle fires.

• Roughly two out of five home fires start in the kitchen.

• Unattended cooking is the leading cause of home fires.