Holiday Safety Tips

Buying a Christmas Tree is fun and exciting for the whole family. Picking out the perfect tree, taking it home and decorating it is a great experience for all. However, it's important to know that bringing a Christmas Tree into your home brings hazards that you may not realize.

A Christmas Tree that is dry is similar to bringing several cans of gasoline in your house and putting electric lights, electric trains and maybe a few candles nearby. Take a look at this Video Demonstration of a burning Christmas Tree and you will see how fast a tree can be fully engulfed with fire.

It is important to follow these holiday safety tips to prevent a Christmas Tree from rapidly burning and filling a room with deadly toxic gases and flames.

How to Select a Christmas Tree

• You should choose a fresh tree with dark green needles that do not pull off easily from the branches and do not break.
  
  
• The trunk of the tree should be sticky to the touch.
  
  
• Avoid a tree that has branches that are brown, most likely the needles will drop off easily. This is definitely a fire hazard and is not recommended.

How to Care for Your Christmas Tree

• Make sure you start off with a sturdy tree stand.
  
  
• Keep your tree stand filled with water at all times. Remember that your tree will absorbed the most amount of water in the first 24 hours.
  
  
• Position your tree away from the fireplace and heating vents. This will help it from drying out too quickly.
  
  
• Putting your tree up too early in the season or leaving it up too long after, should be avoided.
  
  
• Candles should not be lit anywhere near your tree.

How to Properly Dispose of Your Tree

• When your tree is feeling dry and may be looking slightly brown, it's time to remove it from your house.
  
  
• Most areas have recycling programs for disposing of Christmas trees.
  
  
• Do not use your wood burning stove or fireplace to dispose of your tree. This would be an extreme fire danger because of the explosive nature of burning a dry tree.

Safely Installing Holiday Lights

• Keep your holiday lights in good working condition by inspecting them every year. Check for damaged or frayed wires, broken or cracked sockets and bare insulation.
  
  
• All lights should be (UL) approved.
  
  
• It is not recommended to attach more than three sets of lights together. Follow manufacturers guidelines.
  
  
• Do not overload electrical outlets.
  
  
• Never leave your home with your Christmas Tree lights on.

Holiday Safety Tips Using Decorations

• Make sure you use nonflammable holiday decorations.
  
  
• Keep decorations ways from heat sources.
  
  
• It's a fire hazard to burn wrapping paper in the fireplace.
  
  
• Artificial Christmas Trees should be flame retardant.

Candle Safety

Lit candles can be a fire hazard so it is important to follow these precautions:

• Make sure you do not leave a candle burning in your home unattended.
  
  
• Use stable candle holders that are not easily knocked over and keep them away from flammable material.
  
  
• Lit candles on a Christmas Tree should never be used.