The holidays are a fun time of year.  Sharing time with loved ones, eating way too much and gift giving!  Safety is probably not the first thing you think about during the holidays.  Here are just a few tips to help you enjoy the holidays without trips to the hospital or calls to the fire department!

Christmas Trees:

• If you are cutting your own tree make sure you wear goggles and gloves.  Also, keep the small children out of harm’s way.  The same thing applies when removing the tree from the house.  Take is slow and easy.

• A live tree needs to be watered regularly otherwise they dry out and become extremely flammable.  Remember the movie “Christmas Vacation”?  Yeah, we don’t want that!  Keep trees away from heat sources like, fireplaces, heaters and smokers.

• Monitor children and pets closely around the tree and lighting.  Small children and pets could pull the tree down, eat the decorations or get burned on heated bulbs. The ornaments are viewed as new toys for pets and wiring is something to chew on.  Trees must be secured properly in place so that they are not easily pulled down by children or pets. Try to secure the tree to the wall or ceiling.

Lighting:

• Check your interior and exterior lighting systems for broken bulbs and frayed wiring.  When in doubt, throw it out!

• Turn off the tree lights when leaving the house or going to bed.

• Candles are wonderful for creating ambiance and aromas.  They should be kept out of reach of children and pets.  Keep them away from anything flammable like Christmas trees, curtains and presents. And extinguish them before leaving the house or going to bed.

Cooking:

• The kitchen is an inviting gathering place this time of year.  Make sure while you are cooking that children and pets are out of the kitchen.  There are hot ovens, pots and pans!  Not to mention possible tripping hazards for the cook.

• Keep a fire extinguisher close by.  By the way, you should always have an updated fire extinguisher in the kitchen and by the barbeque.  In addition, a box of baking soda is good for grease fires.

• Make sure that your smoke detector is tested and fully operational with new batteries.  Use the “test” button to see if it is still functional.

Our family and pets are the most valuable gifts in our lives.  With a little vigilance we can keep them all safe throughout the holidays and this New Year.

Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, Happy New Year from LiveSafeUSA.com!

Stay Safe!