Deck the Halls, Don't Burn 'em Down!

Most of us enjoy the holiday season. What's not to like? Food, gifts, time off from work, family (I guess that one is debatable) and friends. Sometimes, in getting caught up with festivities, we forget some seemingly trivial things that could ultimately ruin our holiday cheer or worse. The National Fire Protection Agency (NFPA) provides some great tips to make sure you and your family stay safe for the holidays.

To make access easier, we've compiled some of the highlights in the post below, as well as a link to NFPA's official page which contains even more information. Take five minutes to check out some of this great information and...

Enjoy Your Holidays... Smarter

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Building Systems... Safer

Quick Statistics (NFPA)

Electrical distribution or lighting equipment was involved in 35% of home Christmas tree fires.
One-fifth (20%) of decoration fires started in the kitchen. One out of six (17%) started in the living room, family room or den.
The top three days for home candle fires were Christmas, New Year’s Day and Christmas Eve.

NFPA Holiday Safety Tip Sheets

Fire can start from all sorts of holiday items and activities. Lights, decorations, cooking, candles etc. all pose a fire hazard if care isn't taken. I know what you're thinking...

"This guy is a real downer, what a Negative Nancy!"

I'm really not, I promise, but fire risks and hazards are real and while not exclusive to the holiday season, data shows an increase in fire department activity this time of the year. No harm in being a little safer! That way you can worry about real holiday problems, like drunk uncles, making sure your gifts are of equal value to the ones you received from others, and full-on political brawls! Hosing down the Christmas tree can put a real damper on those things...

Check these tip sheets out for a great quick reference (click images for document):

If you're curiosity is peeked, check out the NFPA's website dedicated to Holiday Safety. There is a vast amount of information including statistics, additional tips and advice. Click the link below:

NFPA Winter Holiday Holiday Safety Website

In closing, stay safe and have a great time this holiday season. Enjoy your time off, enjoy your family and enjoy your friends. Remember, once we're back to work, Thanksgiving isn't for another 11 months so take advantage while you can! Finally, to help spread some holiday cheer I'll leave you with this.....