News Release: November 26, 2002
Contact: Janice Osborne, Manager-Media & Community Affairs
(610) 865-4400, ext. 262
Fires during the holiday season -- from Thanksgiving through New Year’s Day -- typically injure thousands of people and cause $500 million in property damage across the United States. In total, more than one-third of residential house fires occur in December, January and February.
"Careless use of electric space heaters and wood burning stoves, faulty wiring, and other
easily preventable accidents, such as unattended candles, cause most fires," said Cordelia Miller,
director of emergency services for the American Red Cross of the Greater Lehigh Valley.
"Common sense and simple safety precautions can prevent fire tragedies in your home."
Here are some tips on how to keep you and your family safe this holiday season:
Cooking: When cooking, do not wear loose-fitting clothes, which could easily ignite near hot burners. Keep kitchen appliances clean and always turn them off after use. When cooking, do not leave unattended pots on the stove.
Candles: Keep candles away from Christmas trees, decorations or other flammable materials.
Don't leave children unattended in a room with lit candles and keep candles, matches and lighters
out of the reach of children.
Christmas Trees: Choose a fresh tree and water it daily. Keep Christmas trees away from heat
sources and exits. Make sure artificial trees are fire-retardant.
Decorations: Decorate only with flame-retardant or non-flammable materials. Don't overload electrical outlets and always unplug all lights when leaving the house or going to bed.
Fireplaces: Have your chimney inspected by a professional prior to the start of every heating season. Use a sturdy fireplace screen big enough to cover the entire opening of the fireplace to catch flying sparks. Only burn wood. Burning trash, paper or pine boughs could result in a fire.
Furnaces: Have your furnace checked regularly by a professional. The flame should burn a bright, steady blue and should never come outside of the furnace. If you hear or smell natural gas leaking from your furnace lines, evacuate the house immediately and call 911.
Space Heaters: Space heaters cause more than 120,000 fires annually. Only use heaters with the Underwriters Laboratories (UL) safety listing. Place the heater on the floor and keep it away from combustible materials. Never put anything on top of your space heater and never leave the heater unattended or with unsupervised children. Unplug electric heaters and turn off kerosene heaters when you go to bed or leave the house.
Smoke Detectors: Install a smoke alarm outside each sleeping area and on each additional level of your home. Check each smoke alarm once a month and replace batteries at least once a year.
Fire Extinguishers: Keep at least one working fire extinguisher in your home. Make sure the fire extinguisher is properly charged and use the test button to check for proper pressure. If the unit is low on pressure, damaged, or corroded, replace it or have it professionally serviced. Only adults should handle and use fire extinguishers. Periodically review how to use the extinguisher.
Have a Plan: Plan for and practice what to do should a fire occur. Make two fire escape routes for each room and pick a safe place to meet after escaping from a fire. Conduct a home fire drill at least twice a year with all members of your household.
Emergency Numbers: Post local emergency numbers by all phones (fire, police, ambulance, etc.) Teach children how and when to call 911.
The American Red Cross is a humanitarian organization, led by volunteers, that provides relief to victims of disasters and helps people prevent, prepare for and respond to emergencies.
The American Red Cross of the Greater Lehigh Valley serves more than 660,000 residents in Carbon, Lehigh and Northampton counties. Last year the Red Cross provided health and safety education training and emergency relief services to nearly 20,000 Greater Lehigh Valley residents.
For more information about safety preparedness and the local Red Cross, call the American Red Cross of the Greater Lehigh Valley at (610) 865-4400 or visit www.redcrosslv.org.
