The holidays are a great time for family gatherings and festivities, but unfortunately, they can also mean a greater risk of a fire in someone’s home. Since the beginning of this year, our South Florida Disaster Action Team volunteers have responded to over 740 home fires and helped nearly 3,000 individuals with immediate assistance and recovery support. South Florida volunteers have also installed over 2,800 smoke alarms and made 1,400 homes safer with fire prevention education as part of our Home Fire Campaign.

With so many opportunities for a fire to start within your home during the holidays, there is one variable you can control to prevent this event. By decorating safely anyone can reduce the risk of a fire within their home.

Holiday Safety Tips

Follow these safety tips and visit redcross.org/fire for more information.

• If you must use candles, keep them away from anything that could burn, and place them out of reach of pets and children. Never leave burning candles unattended.
• Check all holiday light cords to ensure they aren’t frayed or broken. Don’t string too many strands of lights together — no more than three per extension cord.
• Ensure outside decorations are for outdoor use and fasten lights securely to your home or trees. If using hooks or nails outside, make sure they are insulated to avoid an electrocution or fire hazard.
• If buying an artificial tree, look for a fire-resistant label. When putting it up, keep it away from sources of heat. Never use electric lights on metallic trees.
• If getting a live tree, make sure it’s fresh and keep it watered. To test if the tree is fresh, bend the needles up and down to make sure no needles fall off.

The holidays can be a dangerous time, so be sure to check your smoke alarms and ensure your decorations are securely positioned. If you cannot afford a smoke alarm or are unable to install one, visit  redcross.org/SFLsmokealarm to request a free installation visit.

Written by Milka Michael, American Red Cross Public Affairs