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Christmas Safety:
The holiday season is a joyful time for reunions and spending time with friends and family. It is also, unfortunately, a time when we see an increase in house fires, fueled in part by holiday decorations, candles and Christmas trees. Fires caused by candles, for instance, increase fourfold during the holidays. Some 200-house fires occur each year where Christmas trees are the initial source of ignition.
House fires during the winter holiday season kill 500 and injure 2,000 people, and cause more than $500 million in damage.
Homes throughout the City of El Paso have begun or will soon begin decorating for the holidays. You don't have to give up your holiday decorations in the interest of safety, but there are some easy, preventive things you can do to reduce your risk of a fire in your home. Fire Chief Roberto Rivera and the El Paso Fire Department want to wish a Happy Holiday season to the citizens of El Paso and encourage them to keep fire safety and prevention in mind when decorating for the Holidays and offer these Safety Tips:
- Select a fresh Christmas tree that is kept in water at all times. Needles on fresh trees should be green and should not fall off easily. Don't put your tree up too early or leave it up longer than two weeks. Dried out Christmas trees can ignite easily and boost a fire by spreading it rapidly to nearby combustible materials.
- Place your Christmas tree in a safe place, away from heat sources such as a fireplace or heat vent.
- Maintain your holiday lights. Inspect your lights before you use them to ensure they don't have frayed wires, gaps in the insulation, broken or cracked sockets or excessive wear. Only use lighting that is listed by an approved testing laboratory and don't leave the lights on when you're not home.
- Avoid overloading electrical outlets. Don't link more than three light strands unless the directions indicate it is safe. Periodically check the wires. They should not be warm to the touch.
- Use only nonflammable decorations that are placed away from heat vents and if you're using an artificial tree, make sure that it's flame retardant.
- Avoid using candles. If you do use candles, ensure they are in stable holders and place them where they cannot be easily knocked down.
- Do not leave lit candles unattended, never put candles on a Christmas tree and never leave the house with candles burning. Place candles away from vents or flammable materials.
It's also important to know that fires caused by children increase during the holiday season. According to our National Fire Incident Reporting System, children cause nearly 60 house fires a day in mid-December, with another sharp increase on New Year's Day. Parents should take precautions to prevent such avoidable tragedies.
Every year, the anticipated joy of the holiday season turns to unexpected grief and loss for families hit by residential fires. Please heed our advice and take these steps to a safe and happy holiday season.
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