For most, the holiday season is a joyous time of year when we gather to celebrate with friends and family.
However, the potential for burn and fire hazards in the home increases during this festive time of the year. Fires during the holiday season injure more than 2,000 people and annually cause nearly $100 million in damage.
There are precautionary measures that can be taken to greatly reduce the chances of becoming a holiday fire statistic.
Christmas trees
When using an artificial Christmas tree, make sure it is flame-retardant. When choosing a cut tree, look for freshness. The trunk should be sticky to the touch. The needles should be difficult to pull from the branches and should not break when bent between your fingers. Do not place your tree close to a heat source, including a fireplace or heat vent. The heat will dry out the tree, causing it to be more easily ignited. Make sure you keep the tree stand filled with water at all times. Never put tree branches or needles in a fireplace or wood-burning stove. When the tree becomes dry, promptly discard it.
Lights
Inspect holiday lights each year for frayed wires, bare spots, gaps in the insulation, broken or cracked sockets and excessive kinking or wear before putting them up. Use only lighting listed by an approved testing laboratory. Do not link more than three light strands, unless the directions indicate it is safe. Connect strings of lights to an extension cord before plugging the cord into the outlet. Make sure to periodically check the wires, they should not be warm to the touch. Always unplug lights before leaving your home or going to sleep.
Candles
Make sure candles are placed in a sturdy, non-combustible candle holder. Never burn candles on or near a Christmas tree or combustible decorations. Keep wicks trimmed to one-fourth of an inch and extinguish candles when they burn down to within two inches of the holder.
Other tips
All decorations should be non-flammable or flame-retardant and kept away from potential heat sources. Never throw wrapping paper into a fireplace. Doing so could produce hazardous sparks or a chemical buildup that might result in a dangerous flare-up.
Recipe for a fire-retardant Christmas tree
Ingredients:
• 2 gallons of hot water
• 2 cups clear Karo syrup
• 2 ounces liquid chlorine bleach
• 2 pinches of Epsom salts
• One half-teaspoon Borax
• One teaspoon chelated iron (can be purchased from a garden shop)
Instructions:
Place water in bucket and add all ingredients. Stir until all ingredients are completely dissolved and set aside. Make a fresh, level cut three inches from the bottom of trunk. Stand the trunk of the tree in the solution and leave for 24 hours. Place your tree in a tree stand that contains a well for liquid. When the tree has been positioned in the stand, use a plastic cup to pour the solution into the tree well. Safely store the remaining solution. Top-off the well with the solution everyday.
Source: The Burn Institute
However, the potential for burn and fire hazards in the home increases during this festive time of the year. Fires during the holiday season injure more than 2,000 people and annually cause nearly $100 million in damage.
There are precautionary measures that can be taken to greatly reduce the chances of becoming a holiday fire statistic.
Christmas trees
When using an artificial Christmas tree, make sure it is flame-retardant. When choosing a cut tree, look for freshness. The trunk should be sticky to the touch. The needles should be difficult to pull from the branches and should not break when bent between your fingers. Do not place your tree close to a heat source, including a fireplace or heat vent. The heat will dry out the tree, causing it to be more easily ignited. Make sure you keep the tree stand filled with water at all times. Never put tree branches or needles in a fireplace or wood-burning stove. When the tree becomes dry, promptly discard it.
Lights
Inspect holiday lights each year for frayed wires, bare spots, gaps in the insulation, broken or cracked sockets and excessive kinking or wear before putting them up. Use only lighting listed by an approved testing laboratory. Do not link more than three light strands, unless the directions indicate it is safe. Connect strings of lights to an extension cord before plugging the cord into the outlet. Make sure to periodically check the wires, they should not be warm to the touch. Always unplug lights before leaving your home or going to sleep.
Candles
Make sure candles are placed in a sturdy, non-combustible candle holder. Never burn candles on or near a Christmas tree or combustible decorations. Keep wicks trimmed to one-fourth of an inch and extinguish candles when they burn down to within two inches of the holder.
Other tips
All decorations should be non-flammable or flame-retardant and kept away from potential heat sources. Never throw wrapping paper into a fireplace. Doing so could produce hazardous sparks or a chemical buildup that might result in a dangerous flare-up.
Recipe for a fire-retardant Christmas tree
Ingredients:
• 2 gallons of hot water
• 2 cups clear Karo syrup
• 2 ounces liquid chlorine bleach
• 2 pinches of Epsom salts
• One half-teaspoon Borax
• One teaspoon chelated iron (can be purchased from a garden shop)
Instructions:
Place water in bucket and add all ingredients. Stir until all ingredients are completely dissolved and set aside. Make a fresh, level cut three inches from the bottom of trunk. Stand the trunk of the tree in the solution and leave for 24 hours. Place your tree in a tree stand that contains a well for liquid. When the tree has been positioned in the stand, use a plastic cup to pour the solution into the tree well. Safely store the remaining solution. Top-off the well with the solution everyday.
Source: The Burn Institute