New Canaan Fire Marshal Issues ‘Holiday Safety Tips’

The holidays are an exciting time of year and to help ensure a safe holiday season, here are some tips from the New Canaan Fire Marshal’s Office.

Trees

• When purchasing an artificial tree, look for the label “Fire Resistant.” 
• When purchasing a live tree, check for freshness. A fresh tree is green, needles are hard to pull from branches and when bent between your fingers, needles do not break. The trunk butt of a fresh tree is sticky with resin, and when tapped on the ground, the tree should not lose many needles. 
• When setting up a tree at home, place it away from fireplaces, radiators or portable heaters. Place the tree out of the way of traffic and do not block doorways. 
• Cut a few inches off the trunk of your tree to expose the fresh wood. This allows for better water absorption and will help to keep your tree from drying out and becoming a fire hazard. 
• Be sure to keep the stand filled with water, because heated rooms can dry live trees out rapidly. 

Lights

• Before using lights outdoors, check labels to be sure they have been certified for outdoor use. To hold lights in place, string them through hooks or insulated staples, not nails or tacks. Never pull or tug lights to remove them. 
• Check all tree lights-even if you’ve just purchased them-before hanging them on your tree. Make sure all the bulbs work and that there are no frayed wires, broken sockets or loose connections. 
• Plug all outdoor electric decorations into circuits with ground fault circuit interrupters to avoid potential shocks. 
• Never use electric lights on a metallic tree. The tree can become charged with electricity from faulty lights, and a person touching a branch could be electrocuted. 
• Turn off all lights when you go to bed or leave the house. The lights could short out and start a fire. 

Decorations

• Use only non-combustible or flame-resistant materials to trim a tree. Choose tinsel or artificial icicles of plastic or nonleaded metals. 
• Never use lighted candles on a tree or near other evergreens. Always use non-flammable holders, and place candles where they will not be knocked down. 
• In homes with small children, take special care to avoid decorations that are sharp or breakable, keep trimmings with small removable parts out of the reach of children to avoid the child swallowing or inhaling small pieces, and avoid trimmings that resemble candy or food that may tempt a young child to eat them. 

Fireplaces

• Before lighting any fire, remove all greens, boughs, papers, and other decorations from fireplace area. Check to see that the flue is open. 
• Always use a screen or other approved device to prevent flying embers.
• Ashes can stay hot for several days. If necessary place ashes only in a metal container with a tight sealing lid and place on noncombustible surface. 
• Do not burn wrapping paper in the fireplace. A flash fire may result as wrapping ignites suddenly and burns intensely. 

For questions regarding these tips or any fire safety topics please call the New Canaan Fire Marshal’s Office at 203-594-3030.