Holiday Safety
BINGHAMTON, NY - The holidays are a festive and exciting time of year. "However, each year, hospital emergency rooms treat about 8,700 people for injuries such as falls, cuts, shocks and burns related to holiday lights, decorations and Christmas trees," says Diane O'Hora, Director of Health Education for the Broome County Health Department. Make safety an important part of your holiday preparations. Look for and eliminate potential hazards from lights, candles, trees, fireplaces, space heaters, decorations, and/or electrical connections that could cause fires and injuries.
To help ensure a safe and enjoyable holiday season, keep the following safety tips in mind:
Purchase green, moist Christmas trees, never old or brittle. Always keep live trees watered. If you buy an artificial tree, look for a label stating it is fire resistant. This will ensure that the tree has been manufactured and tested to meet specific safety standards. "A fire resistant tree can still catch fire, but should resist burning and extinguish quickly," Ms. Chytilo said. Always keep trees and any other combustibles away from ignition sources such as fireplaces, space heaters, candles, overhead lights and radiators.
Avoid using electric lights on metal trees.
Indoors or outside, use only lights that have been tested for safety by a recognized testing laboratory, which indicates that the lights conform to safety standards. Before using outdoor lights, check labels to be sure they have been certified for outdoor use. For additional electrical protection, plug outdoor electric lights and decorations into circuits protected by ground fault circuit interrupters. These are available where electrical supplies are sold. Check each set of lights, new or old, for broken or cracked sockets, broken bulbs, frayed or bare wires, or loose connections. Make sure to throw out damaged sets. Use no more than three standard-size sets of lights per single, heavy-duty extension cord, rated for outdoor use. Check all wires periodically; they should be cool to the touch. Always turn off all lights when you go to bed or leave the house.
Candle lighting ceremonies during Advent, Hanukkah and Kwanzaa are beautiful traditions but only when proper precautions are taken. Keep matches, lighters and candles away from children, and never leave burning candles unattended.
Inspect extension cords for damaged insulation, splices or loose plugs before using. Match plugs with outlets. Don't force a 3-pronged plug into a 2-pronged outlet or extension cord. Overloaded or improperly used outlets pose a potential fire and/or shock hazard. Use surge protectors if multiple outlets are needed.
Decorate with non-combustible or flame-resistant materials. In homes with small children and pets, avoid decorations that are sharp or breakable, and keep older ornaments that might be painted with lead paint out of reach of small children.
Trimmings with small removable parts that could be swallowed or inhaled should also be out of children's reach. Avoid decorations that resemble candy or food that a child could ingest.
After opening gifts, remove all wrapping from tree and fireplace areas immediately. Do not burn papers in the fireplace. A flash fire may result if the wrapping ignites suddenly and burns intensely.
Plan to be safe this holiday season. It's the best gift you can give. For more information on holiday safety, call the Broome County Health Department at 607.778.3921.
CONTACT:
Diane O'Hora, Supervising Public Health Educator,
Broome County Health Department, 607.778.3921
email: jcchytilo@co.broome.ny.us
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