Don’t let your merry-making turn into mayhem this season!
According to the National Fire Protection Association, 21% of home decoration fires occur in December, and 10% of fireworks-related fires occur from December 30 through January 3. Don’t let your merry-making turn into mayhem this season! A few prudent moves can keep your warm memories from getting a little too hot:
1. Keep your tree watered!
If your family loves the smell and look of a live tree, make sure to take good care of your trusty Tannenbaum. Make it a daily ritual to check the water levels and keep it topped off. There are many tools to help with this chore, such as a long funnel to avoid crouching under the boughs and getting tinsel everywhere! While this does not eliminate the chances of your tree catching fire, it contains the flame by making it burn at a much slower rate in case of disaster.
2. Choose flame-resistant holiday decorations to keep the flames at bay.
After spending the year at home, there may be the temptation to go all out with your holiday decorating. While doing so, we encourage you to choose flame-resistant or flame-retardant decorations. Be sure to keep lit candles away from any flammable, or suspected to be volatile, decorations and ensure all flames are out before heading to bed. If the flame is for religious purposes and must be left until it burns completely, light it with enough time to supervise it until it burns out.
3. Place holiday lights and trees carefully.
Ensure the Christmas tree is placed at least three feet away from any heat source and is not blocking an exit. Be mindful of whether your holiday lights are intended for indoor or outdoor use as they have different voltages and heat production.
4. Leave fireworks to the professionals!
We know that seeing a live fireworks show this year may not be a safe option, but please bear in mind that fireworks can be hazardous and best left to professionals. Should you choose to use consumer fireworks, remember to keep safety top of mind.
5. If using consumer fireworks, do so safely.
While some tips seem obvious, such as: never allow children access to fireworks, never handle fireworks under the influence of drugs or alcohol—time to choose between running the fireworks show and the spiked eggnog, and never light fireworks in your hands or indoors. Others are easy to overlook, such as: never try to re-light or handle malfunctioning fireworks, remember to soak both spent and unused fireworks in water for a few hours before discarding, and always keep a bucket of water nearby to extinguish fireworks that don’t go off completely and in case of accidental fire.
This holiday season, focus on spreading joy and staying safe! At ProClean, we put the safety of you and your family first. We’re here to provide you with tips to prevent disaster but are always here for you when disaster strikes—from eggnog stained carpets to fire-damaged mantels.
Ready to go ProClean? Call an expert today at 850-484-8500 or fill out a contact form!
Sources:
https://www.nfpa.org/Public-Education/Fire-causes-and-risks/Seasonal-fire-causes/Winter-holidays/Holiday-fires-by-the-numbers https://www.nsc.org/home-safety/tools-resources/seasonal-safety/summer/fireworks
https://www.nfpa.org//-/media/Files/Public-Education/Resources/Safety-tip-sheets/Winter_Holiday_Safety.pdf
https://www.nfpa.org//-/media/Files/Public-Education/Resources/Safety-tip-sheets/ChristmasTreeSafetyTips.pdf
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