Keep Your House and Holidays Safe This Season

OSWEGO COUNTY – It’s that time of year when we all must remember safe practices while holiday decorating and heating our homes. The Oswego County Fire Coordinator’s Office urges residents to make this a top priority and offers some tips.

“Whether decorating for the holidays or heating your home, it’s important to keep in mind potential fire risks,” said Oswego County Fire Coordinator Shane Laws. “Each year, dry Christmas trees, holiday lights, candles and heating sources cause fires. Make sure your home and celebrations are safe by keeping an eye out for hazards and taking preventive measures.”

Christmas Trees:

When choosing a real Christmas tree, Laws advises people to check the tree for freshness. “A fresh tree will stay green longer and be less of a fire hazard,” he said. “It will be green in color and its needles will not break between your fingers. Instead, they will be hard to pull from the branches and the trunk will also be sticky with sap.”

The bottom two inches of the trunk should be cut off to expose fresh wood and increase water absorption. Real trees should be kept in a sturdy, water-holding base and watered daily.

Make sure artificial Christmas trees are fire resistant when buying.

All Christmas trees should be placed at least three feet away from fireplaces, radiators and other heat sources. They should not block doorways, either.

Holiday Decorations:

“When hanging holiday lights, be sure you are using the appropriate indoor or outdoor lights,” said Laws. “Also make sure you are using the right ladder while stringing lights, as many injuries occur during this time of year. Do not nail, tack or stress the wiring, and keep plugs off the ground away from snow and puddles.”

Read and follow lighting directions to know how many sets can be plugged into one socket. Be sure to replace light sets that have loose connections, broken or cracked sockets, or frayed or bare wires.

All lights should be turned off before going to bed or leaving the residence.

Candles:

Laws emphasized that burning candles should never be left unattended. “Also, keep lit candles away from children and pets, and in an area where they cannot be knocked or blown over,” he said. “They should be kept at least a foot away from all flammable materials, decorations and wrapping paper – and never place lit candles on a tree.”

He also advises residents to never burn trees, wreaths or wrapping paper in a fireplace.

Heating Your Home:

“It’s essential to take precautions to minimize fire risk in your home, especially when it comes to heating equipment,” added Laws. “Get your chimney inspected and your furnace tuned up early in the winter season to be sure that all heating equipment is well maintained.”

To help residents have a safe heating season at home, he offered these tips:

• Use fireplaces, wood stoves and furnaces properly and carefully. Keep up on maintenance and always follow the manufacturer’s recommendations.
• Get furnaces and chimneys inspected once a year and cleaned or repaired if needed.
• Keep heat sources at least three feet away from flammable objects.
• Closely watch children and pets in rooms with heating equipment and keep them a safe distance away.
• Always turn off portable space heaters when you go to sleep or leave the room or house.
• Use the proper gauge of extension cord if needed. Do not plug space heaters into extension cords or multi-tap fixtures.
• When cleaning a pellet stove or wood stove, put the ashes in a metal can and place outside away from any structures.

“Most importantly, install at least one smoke alarm on every level of the home,” he stressed. “Test it monthly, keep it free of dust and replace the batteries at least once a year.”

Laws also suggested that families have and practice escape routes in case there is ever a fire. “There should be at least two ways to escape from each room of your home,” he said. “Don’t forget to select a location outside of the house where everyone should meet after escaping.”

For more information on fire safety and prevention, visit the U.S. Fire Administration website at https://www.usfa.fema.gov/. To learn about the Oswego County Fire Coordinator’s Office, go to https://www.oswegocountyny.gov/departments/public_safety/fire_coordinator.

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