Holiday Fire Safety

USFA�Fire Administrator Chief Keith Bryant shares how to prevent
home fires and keep your family safe this holiday season.

Traditionally, the winter holidays are a time for families and
friends to get together. While some gatherings may look different
this year due to COVID-19, many traditions remain. It’s fun to
decorate for the winter holidays and cook special meals, but
holiday decorations and cooking can increase your risk for a home
fire. As you deck the halls this season or fix a festive meal,
be
fire smart.

Be careful with your holiday decorations. Make sure they don’t
block windows and doors. Additionally, following a few
simple tips can help make your holidays fire-safe.

• Water your live Christmas tree every day. A dry tree is a fire
  hazard. Trees too close to a heat source cause one in every four
  winter fires.
• Make sure you are using the right lights. Some lights are only
  for indoor or outdoor use, but not both. Follow the
  manufacturer’s instructions carefully.
• Replace any string of lights with worn or broken cords or loose
  bulb connections.
• Keep lit candles away from decorations and things that can
  burn. More than 1/3 of home decoration fires are started by
  candles.  Consider using flameless candles, they look very similar
  and are safer.
• Blow out lit candles and turn off all light strings and
  decorations when leaving the room or going to bed.

Due to social distancing precautions, many of us may be
attempting to cook a holiday meal for the first time this year.
Cooking is the main cause of home fires and injuries no matter the
season. From frying a
turkey to making pies, be sure to follow
these tips to prevent cooking fires.

• Stand by your pan – if you leave your kitchen, turn the
  burner off.
• Watch what you’re cooking. If you see any smoke, or grease
  starts to boil, turn the burner off.
• Turn pot handles toward the back of the stove to prevent them
  being bumped or pulled over.
• Keep a pan lid or baking sheet near by to put out pan
  fires.

Download the winter
holiday fires infographic to share with your community or use
the
holiday fire  or
cooking fire safety social media cars on your social
outlets.

Home fire fatalities increase during the winter. To make sure
communities know about the increased risk, USFA partners with the
National Fire Protection Association to
Put a Freeze on Winter Fires. The initiative focuses on hazards
that may increase a family’s risk of having a house fire. Follow
#winterfiresafety on your social channels.