Holiday Fire Prevention

12/16/2016 (Permalink)

Holidays are meant to be spent with friends and family, not cleaning up fires. Make sure you know how to prevent holiday fires with a few simple tips.

Did you know that one in every three home Christmas tree fires is caused by electrical problems? Although Christmas tree fires are not common, when they do occur, they are more likely to be serious.  The U.S. Fire Administration (USFA) reports more than double the number of open-flame fires on Christmas Day than on an average day, and about twice as many on New Year’s Day. And when those fires occur, they do more damage: Property loss during a holiday fire is 34% greater than in an average fire, and the number of fatalities per thousand fires is nearly 70% higher. When the source of the fire is a highly flammable Christmas tree, the toll in property and lives is even greater.

To keep your household from becoming a holiday fire statistic, here are some safety tips to follow.

• Maintain your lights – by inspecting them for frayed wires, bare spots, gaps in the insulation, broken or cracked sockets, and excessive kinking or wear.
• Only use lights listed by an approved tested laboratory.
• Do not overload electrical outlets.
• Do not link more than three light strands, unless the directions indicate it is safe.
• Connect strings of lights to an extension cord before plugging the cord into the outlet.
• Make sure to periodically check the wires, they should not be warm to the touch.
• Do not leave lights on unattended

For more information and tips on preventing fires as well as what to do following a fire please visit SERVPRO Fire Damage Emergency Tips.