Public Safety: Fire Safety for the Holidays

By Lisa M. Grisham, CPSTI

Even though gratitude and celebration are at the top of the list for this time of year, unfortunately, danger and devastation from fires often occur in homes during the holiday season. In most cases, these fires are preventable with a few precautions. More than half of all home fires happen in the winter months. Some of the reasons include increased cooking, use of candles, use of extra heating sources, overloaded electrical sources, and holiday decorations.

Winter holidays are a time for families and friends to decorate homes and spend time together, but these celebrations also mean a greater risk for fire. Follow these simple tips to ensure a happy and fire-free holiday season.

Choose decorations that are flame resistant or flame retardant.
Keep candles away from decorations and never leave the house or go to sleep with candles still burning.
Make sure strings of lights are made for wherever you’re hanging them (indoor or outdoor).
Replace lights with loose bulb connections or worn/broken cords.
Keep children and pets away from open flames (candles, gas stovetops, grills).
Make sure your smoke alarms are operational. Test them once a month, replace the batteries once a year, and replace the whole smoke alarm every 10 years. If you need assistance, contact Cherokee County Fire & Emergency Services at 678-493-6290.
Practice your home escape plan and teach guests in your home what to do in case of fire.
Ask smokers to smoke outside and provide a way for them to discard cigarette butts safely.
Choose a Christmas tree with fresh foliage or use an artificial tree instead.
Water live trees daily to keep them from drying out.
Place trees away from heat sources.
Turn off Christmas tree lights before leaving home or going to bed.
Make sure there is a 3-foot perimeter around any heating source.

During this holiday season, Cherokee County Fire & Emergency Services will once again participate in the “Keep the Wreath Green” campaign from December 1-January 1. A green bulb on the wreaths will be replaced by a red bulb for every structure fire that occurs in Cherokee County during the month. The purpose of this campaign is to remind people to practice fire prevention during the holidays.

Wreaths will be placed throughout the county at fire stations, community areas, and holiday light shows. Be sure to check them out. Let’s keep the wreath green by practicing fire safety in our homes and businesses.

Happy holidays from Cherokee County Fire & Emergency Services. For more information, please visit CherokeeCountyFire.org.