December 10, 1999
Holiday Fire Safety Tips
Every year thousands of people are injured or
killed due to faulty Christmas decorations. Careful planning of your holiday decorations
can help prevent any needless injuries.
By Life@Home staff writer
Did
You Know That…
A fire can engulf a house in a matter of minutes.
Fire is the third leading cause of accidental deaths in the United States.
Eighty percent of all fire deaths occur in the home.
Most fatal home fires occur at night, while people sleep. Fire produces toxic gases and
smoke that numb the senses. If you're asleep, or become disoriented by toxic gases, you
may not even realize that there is a fire. Smoke detectors more than double the chance of
surviving a fire.
By taking the time to carefully inspect your home for possible fire hazards, you may
prevent a major catastrophe from happening.
Most fires can be prevented.
TIPS
Check your smoke detectors – remember to change batteries twice a year and always
TEST them.
Space heaters remember to leave at least 3 feet of space around your heater.
Always have an operable fire extinguisher ready and available.
Clean Your Chimney
Keep Christmas tree needles moist by replenishing the water supply in the base-holder
daily. Dryness is the biggest fire safety hazard.
Always keep the tree away from space heaters, fire places and other sources of heat.
Unplug your lights when you leave your home or go to sleep.
Use only outdoor lights for "outdoors".
Mini lights are safest because they produce less heat. Always examine light strings each
year, discard old ones.
Avoid overloading wall outlets and extension cords.
Dispose of the tree properly. NEVER BURN IN THE FIREPLACE.
Safety Gift Ideas
Put together a gift basket containing one or more of
the following
Three smoke detector and batteries
A quality fire extinguisher
A flashlight and batteries
A first-aid kit
A carbon Monoxide detector
A fire fighter towel
A mobile phone
A second floor escape ladder
An "Emergency kit" – water, batteries, radio, flashlight, energy bars,
first-aid kit in a small travel bag.
|
