Written by Guethshina Altena, American Red Cross Public Affairs

Nearly 47,000 fires occur during the winter holidays resulting in more than 500 lives lost, according to the U.S. Fire Administration. The holiday season is one of the most crucial times to be vigilant and take fire safety precautions.

Home fires can strike quickly, leaving you with as little as two minutes to escape safely. Informing yourself on the risks and safeguards could save your life and the lives of your loved ones.

The first step in keeping your family safe is installing a working smoke alarm on every level of your home and outside every sleeping area. Be sure to test your smoke alarms monthly and change the batteries at least once yearly. Working smoke alarms can reduce one’s chances of dying in a fire by nearly half.

Holiday decorations, while beautiful, can contribute to deadly home fires. On average, one of every 22 home fires started by Christmas trees results in death, according to the National Fire Protection Association.

Additionally, candle fires are four times as likely to occur during the winter holidays. Candles are responsible for about 20 home fires a day on average in the U.S. Instead, use battery-operated candles to help keep your family safe.

Follow these safety tips from the American Red Cross to minimize accidental fires:

• 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 fireplaces, radiators, and other 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.
• Don’t light the fireplace if hanging stockings or other decorations on the mantel.

When it comes to cooking, it is best to keep a watchful eye on what you fry. Cooking causes an average of 158,400 home fires per year, which is 44% percent of all home fires in the U.S.

Unattended cooking was the leading factor contributing to cooking fires and deaths. You should never leave cooking food unattended. If you must leave the kitchen, even for a short period of time, turn off the stove first.

The American Red Cross recommends every family have an escape plan for their home in case of fires. Ensure that every room contains at least two exits in the plan and that the meeting spot is at a safe distance away from your home. If you or a loved one is deaf or hard of hearing, install strobe lights and bed-shaker alarms.

Since October 2014, the Red Cross has saved at least 2,246 lives through fire safety education and by helping families create escape plans and installing free smoke alarms in high-risk areas in the United States.

Having working smoke alarms in your home is the best and most efficient way to prevent home fires and protect your family this holiday season. If you cannot afford to purchase smoke alarms or are physically unable to install one, the Red Cross may be able to help. Visit redcross.org/SFLsmokealarm for more information.