Prevent Holiday Fires by Using Decorations Safely
The winter holidays mean friends, fun, gifts, and decorations. According to the U.S. Fire Administration (USFA), however, decorations and wrapping paper can increase a household's risk of fire. To keep your family safer over the holidays, consider the following fire safety tips.
Inspect your lights. Many people put up lights indoors and outdoors at this time of year. Before hanging any lights, look them over carefully for frayed or exposed wires, broken bulb sockets, damaged or dead bulbs, and any other wear. If you see any damage to the lights, dispose of them instead of hanging them up.
Use flame-retardant decorations. Check holiday decorations and their packaging to see whether the decorations are fire-resistant. Avoid using decorations that are not specifically marked “flame-retardant” or “fire-resistant.” Artificial Christmas trees should also be marked if they are flame-resistant.
Dispose of wrapping paper safely. Wrapping paper, bows, and boxes should never go in a fireplace or wood stove. Throw out used gift wrappings in the trash instead.
Supervise open flames and other heat sources at all times. Fireplaces, candles, space heaters, and ovens fired up for holiday cooking can all cause a fire if something flammable gets too close to the flame or heat source. Never leave a burning fireplace, candle, operating space heater, or oven unattended. Do not allow children to play with open flames or heat sources.
The holidays are a great time to relax and enjoy the company of family and friends. At Wingate, Russotti, & Shapiro, our experienced New York burn injury attorneys are dedicated to helping injured people and their families get the compensation they need to pay medical bills and other expenses on the road to recovery. To discuss your case with us, call (212) 222-4336 for a free consultation.
