During this time of year, we cannot stress enough how important fire safety is. Almost every wintertime holiday celebration involves candles, bonfires, or other potential fire hazards. In 2016 alone, 3,390 civilians died in fire-related incidents- the majority of which occur around the holidays. Stay safe this holiday season by following these holiday fire safety tips:
- Keep decorations away from space-heaters, stoves, and other heat sources in your home.
- If you have a tree, make sure it has enough water every day to reduce the risk of it catching.
- Check all string light decorations before you put them up, and then check again every day to be sure no pets or pests have chewed through the wires.
- Don’t overload an outlet by trying to have too many things plugged in and running at once.
- Never use a turkey fryer, meat smoker, or grill (gas or charcoal) in or near a structure such as your garage, shed, or workshop.
Of course, every home should have working smoke alarms in every room, as well as a fire extinguisher in the kitchen or garage. All adults in the home should learn how to properly use a fire extinguisher, and what types of fires they can be used on. For more information on holiday fire safety, visit our friends at the American Red Cross here.
We here at SERVPRO Ft. Lauderdale North and SERVPRO of Plantation hope you won’t be in need of our emergency services over the holidays, but if you do, we are ready 24 hours a day, 365 days a year to help with your emergency water and fire cleanup needs.