The holiday season is a magical time of year to celebrate with family and friends. While it boasts great fun, there are some basic ways to make it even better by maximizing fire safety at home. Here are three bright holiday safety suggestions:
1) Ditch the real candles – Nothing warms up a space better than holiday candles. But, let’s face it, real flames are a danger, especially in homes with pets and young children where the risk of having them knocked over increases. Fortunately, nowadays, there are a great deal of realistic flameless candles available on the market. Per The Spruce, a quality flameless candle costs about $10 to $25 on average, and it is well worth the splurge in the name of safety. Though most require batteries, many can be programmed to turn on and off at specific hours, thus saving battery energy when not in use. And, since they don’t burn down like a real candle, they can last for years. Most feature LED lights that flicker and glow just like the real thing.
2) Bake with care – Baking cookies for Santa? If so, it is a good idea to follow kitchen safety rules to prevent kitchen accidents. When baking, it’s important to wear decent shoes and safe clothes. Shoes not only provide support, but they also protect your feet should anything be dropped. Clothing choices matter as well, and it’s important to avoid wearing flowy sleeves or extremely flammable fabric such as synthetics. In addition, focus on what you are doing. Cookies bake quickly; thus, they are easy to burn. Always set a kitchen timer and never leave cookies in the oven unattended. Keep hot pads and oven mitts nearby, should you need to remove the cookies from the oven right away. And, if you make any spills, do clean it up right away to avoid slips. And, as always, keep a fire extinguisher and first aid kit accessible for emergencies.
3) Observe Christmas tree safety – Tree Towne Christmas Trees points out that a live tree properly displayed in water contains moisture that makes it difficult to ignite. But they do recommend using low-heat lights and turning them off at bedtime to prevent drying out the tree. In addition, tree lights should be inspected yearly and replaced with new ones if they are worn or malfunctioning. Do not overload electric circuits by overusing extension cords or multiple plug adapters on the same circuit. Electrical circuit overloads occur when more electricity is drawn than the circuit can safely handle. Though overloads are likely to trigger a shutdown of electricity, the best way to prevent overloads from happening is to manage your usage.
There’s a saying that goes, “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.” Benjamin Franklin spoke these wise words to fire-threatened Philadelphians in 1736. However, those words hold true today, as it often remains easier to stop something from happening in the first place rather than having to fix a problem later. To enjoy a trouble-free holiday season, a little common sense goes a long way.