Maintain Your Holiday Lights Inspect holiday lights each year for frayed wires, bare spots, gaps in the insulation, broken or cracked sockets, and excessive kinking or wear before putting them up. Use only lighting listed by an approved testing laboratory. Do Not Overload Electrical Outlets Do not link more than three light strands, unless the directions indicate it is safe. …
Use Only Nonflammable Decorations All decorations should be nonflammable or flame-retardant and placed away from heat vents. Never Put Wrapping Paper in a Fireplace It can throw off dangerous sparks and produce a chemical buildup in the home that could cause an explosion. Artificial Christmas Trees If you are using a metallic or artificial tree, make sure it is flame …
Avoid Using Lit Candles If you do use them, make sure they are in stable holders and place them where they cannot be easily knocked down. Never leave the house with candles burning. Never Put Lit Candles on a Tree Do not go near a Christmas tree with an open flame – candles, lighters or matches. Finally, as in every …
Many families gather in the kitchen to spend time together, but it can be one of the most hazardous rooms in the house if you don’t practice safe cooking behaviors. Cooking equipment, most often a range or stovetop, is the leading cause of reported home fires and home fire injuries in the United States. Cooking equipment is also the leading …
Choose the Right Equipment and Use It Properly Always use cooking equipment tested and approved by a recognized testing facility. Follow manufacturers’ instructions and code requirements when installing and operating cooking equipment. Plug microwave ovens and other cooking appliances directly into an outlet. Never use an extension cord for a cooking appliance, as it can overload the circuit and cause …
Position the grill well away from siding, deck railings, and out from under eaves and overhanging branches. Place the grill a safe distance from lawn games, play areas, and foot traffic. Keep children and pets away from the grill area by declaring a 3-foot “kid-free zone” around the grill. Put out several long-handled grilling tools to give the chef plenty …
Purchase the proper starter fluid and store out of reach of children and away from heat sources. Never add charcoal starter fluid when coals or kindling have already been ignited, and never use any flammable or combustible liquid other than charcoal starter fluid to get the fire going.
Check the propane cylinder hose for leaks before using it for the first time each year. A light soap and water solution applied to the hose will reveal escaping propane quickly by releasing bubbles. If you determined your grill has a gas leak by smell or the soapy bubble test and there is no flame: Turn off the propane tank …
The leading cause of fires in the kitchen is unattended cooking. Stay in the kitchen when you are frying, grilling, or broiling food. If you leave the kitchen for even a short period of time, turn off the stove. If you are simmering, baking, roasting, or boiling food, check it regularly, remain in the home while food is cooking, and …
Keep anything that can catch fire – potholders, oven mitts, wooden utensils, paper or plastic bags, food packaging, towels, or curtains – away from your stovetop. Keep the stovetop, burners, and oven clean. Keep pets off cooking surfaces and nearby countertops to prevent them from knocking things onto the burner. Wear short, close-fitting or tightly rolled sleeves when cooking. Loose …
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