HOLIDAY SAFETY TIPS

Wash, Wash, Wash Your Hands!

• Before you begin to prepare food.
• After using the restroom.
• After emptying the trash/garbage.
• After handling raw potentially hazardous foods such as meat and egg products.
• After touching any part of the body.
• After coughing or sneezing.
• During food preparation and anytime that your hands become contaminated.

Parties

• Decorate only with flame-retardant or noncombustible materials.
• If guests will be smoking, provide them with large, deep ashtrays and check them frequently. After the party, check inside and under upholstery and in trash cans for cigarette butts that may be smoldering.
• If you are hosting a holiday gathering, be sure there are non-alcoholic beverages for guests who are driving.
• Designate a Driver - When attending a party, designate a non-drinking driver.

Smoke Detectors & Fire Extinguishers

• Now would be an excellent time to test smoke and carbon monoxide detectors and check fire extinguishers. It's a good idea to test these devices on a monthly basis and replace batteries at least once a year.

Candles

• Never use lighted candles on a tree or near other evergreens.
• Keep candles away from other decorations and wrapping paper.
• Place candles in appropriate holders and blow out before going to bed.

Shopping Safety

• Be aware of your surroundings.
• Remember where you parked your car. While this may sound elementary, many shopping areas are spread out over large areas. Being unable to locate a car can cause you undue confusion and stress that may present you as a better target to a criminal.
• If shopping late in the day or after dark, park in an area that is well lighted.
• Shop in pairs at the very least. Take a friend or family member shopping with you. There is something to be said for safety in numbers.
• As you return to your car, make sure to keep your car key in your hand.
• Lock the doors as soon as you sit in your car.
• Avoid carrying large amounts of cash. Pay for purchases with checks, credit, or debit cards. Carry cash and wallets in a front pocket to reduce your chances of having your pocket picked.
• Don't leave car phones, purses, CD cases, or any other item of value in your parked car where they can be seen. Always conceal these items.
• Don't leave purchased merchandise in your parked car where it can be seen. Conceal these items also.

Lights

• Check the manufacturer's instructions on your electrical decorations to determine the maximum number of decorative lights (light strings) and decorations that may be connected together. Practice this rule of thumb: do not connect more than three light string sets together.
• Don't overload extension cords - it could cause the cord to overheat and start a fire.
• Consider using miniature lights with cool-burning bulbs. Indoors or outside, use only lights that have been tested for safety (they will have a UL or other testing laboratory on the label).
• Use indoor lights only indoors.
• Check each set of lights, new or old, for broken or cracked sockets, frayed, loose or bare wires, or loose connections. Damaged sets may cause a serious electric shock or start a fire. Discard or repair them before using. Always unplug a light string or electrical decoration before replacing light bulbs or fuses.
• Turn off all lights on trees and other decorations when you go to bed or leave the house.
• Never use electric lights on a metallic tree.
• Keep "bubbling" lights away from children. These lights with their bright colors and bubbling movement can tempt curious children to break candle-shaped glass, which can cut, and attempt to drink liquid, which contains a hazardous chemical.
• Don't allow children or pets to play with light strings or other electrical decorations. These decorations aren't toys and could produce a deadly electric shock if they are misused.

Trees

• Many artificial trees are fire resistant. If you buy one, look for a statement specifying this protection.
• A fresh tree will stay green longer and be less of a fire hazard than a dry tree.
• Leave tree outside until you are ready to decorate.
• Place tree away from fireplaces, radiators and other heat sources.
• Cut off one to two inches of the trunk to expose fresh wood. A diagonal cut provides better water absorption. Trim away branches in order to set tree trunk in the base of a sturdy, water-holding stand with wide spread feet.
• Keep the stand filled with water while the tree is indoors.
• Check water level every day.
• Place the tree out of the way of traffic and do not block doorways.
• Dispose of the tree properly and consider recycling your tree or buying a live one or replanting it.