Bensenville Fire offers holiday safety tips
With the holidays now upon us, many of us look forward to family parties and get-togethers. A little added caution can ensure that your holidays remain safe and joyful. Please keep in mind the following safety tips while planning your holiday festivities this year.
Christmas tree and decorations
• Water the tree daily. Live trees dry out quickly in heated homes. Dispose of a live tree when the needles start falling off in large quantities. There is no need to hang on to the tree much after the holidays
• Be sure that your tree is stable and won't fall over and injure a small child, pet or start a fire. Use rope or heavy string to secure the tree if needed. Place it so that it's not blocking doorways, stairs or other exits.
• Keep your tree away from fireplaces, wood-burning stoves, wall furnaces and heaters. Never use lit candles to decorate your tree, as a matter of fact, never leave candles unattended in your home regardless of the time of year.
Artificial lights and decorations
• Buy only lights that bear a UL mark. It means engineers have tested samples for fire and shock hazards. Lights with the green holographic UL label are for indoor use. A red UL mark means the lights can be used either inside or out.
• Before stringing the lights on the tree, make sure they are in working order. Discard any lights that have frayed wires or broken sockets. Don't use more than three standard-size sets of lights per extension cord or you may overload electrical circuits.
• Turn off all tree lights when you are away or in bed. The lights could short out and start a fire. Try putting the lights on a timer to go off at bedtime.
• Take down outdoor lighting when the holiday season is finished. Lighting should not be exposed to outside elements for long periods of time.
Using a fireplace
• Before using your fireplace, remove all hazards. This includes decorations and ornaments on the mantle that may be hanging too close to the fire. Also, your tree should be nowhere near the fire.
• Check to see if your chimney needs cleaning. Once you're ready, make sure the flue is open. The fireplace opening should be completely covered by a screen, too.
• Never burn anything but wood in your fireplace. Wrappings and evergreen branches can burn very quickly, throwing off sparks and burning debris.
• Have a working fire extinguisher in your home, and make sure your family members know how to use it. Also, make the holiday season your regular time to check your smoke detectors.
These are just a few of the common sense safety tips that all firefighters try to share during the holiday season. If you have any questions please don't hesitate to contact the Bensenville Fire Protection District 2 at (630) 350-3441.