Keeping your holiday safe

Pine-scented candles. Bright lights. Glass ornaments. Holiday decorations make the season festive and joyous. But decorators beware. Holiday trimmings and trappings – if used improperly – can also lead to fires, injuries, even death. These tips will help you keep your holiday as safe as they are joyous.

Keep your holidays happy by keeping them safe

Every holiday season you make a list and check it twice. But do you remember to put safety rules on your list as well.

If not, consider these statistics from the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission:

* Hospital emergency rooms treat about 12,800 people for falls, cuts and shocks related to putting up decorations every year.

* More than 13,000 candle-related fires start during the holiday season each year.

* At least 140 people die each year due to house fires caused by holiday candles.

* Keep these holiday safety tips in mind as you finish our decorating.

Tree safety

* Going artificial? Make sure the tree is "fire resistant." This isn't a guarantee, but it does mean the tree should extinguish quickly.

* Buying fresh? Make sure it is fresh. Fresh trees are green with needles that can easily be pulled from the branches. Keep it watered, as well.
Safe placement. Make sure the tree is far away from radiators and heaters.

Light it up

* Read the label. Make sure lights have been safety tested by a safety laboratory.

* Stay wired. Be sure cords are in tip-top shape. Frayed wires spell big danger.

* Watch your step. Stay away from power or feeder lines leading from utility poles into older homes.

* Lights off. Remember to turn off all of your holiday lights when you leave the house or go to bed.

Tree trimming

* Pretty but safe. Make sure all tree trimmings are non-combustible or flame-resistant.

* No flames. Never use lighted candles on a tree. They're a major source of holiday fires each year.

* Out of reach. If you have little ones at home, be sure the breakable bulbs are out of reach. In addition, you might consider putting your tree on a table or putting a safety gate around the tree.