Holiday Season Safety Tips!

Christmas Season is upon us once again as we draw near to the end of 2020. It is our hope and prayer that this holiday season is one that will bring you rest, peace, and hope as we look forward into the next year. However you are choosing to celebrate this year, make sure to be attentive to safety and caution to prevent any unwanted house fires.

Below are a few tips to consider:

1. Ensure that all your smoke detectors are up-to-date and have operating batteries in them. In case of a fire, it is important to be alerted right away to prevent further spreading and damage. If it has been more than a year since your last smoke detector test, consider checking it one more time before Friday.
2. As it grows colder outside, naturally furnaces, fireplaces, space-heaters, and radiators are turned up. When heating your home with items such as these, make sure to allow proper space between them to prevent any one area from growing too hot and catching on fire. Keep a watchful eye also for any items around these heating sources such as furniture, pet toys, decorations, coffee tables, or other potentially flammable objects.
3. If you are choosing to prepare a meal this year, be especially mindful of keeping a close eye on your stove top. Unattended kitchen fires are the #1 cause of holiday fires according to the NFPA. If you are using a fryer of any kind, keep the temperature at a moderate heat to prevent an oil/grease fire. In the case of an oil/grease fire, DO NOT dump water on it. Rather, turn off the heat and try to cover the flames with a metal lid or cookie sheet. Baking soda or table salt can also work to diminish the flames.
4. If you have a live Christmas tree, be sure to keep it properly hydrated. This is important because it is less likely to catch on fire if it is accidently placed too closely to a heating source or if an electrical malfunction from string lighting were to occur (see step 5).
5. DO NOT overcrowd electrical outlets with string lights or other miscellaneous electronics. When multiple electrical items are stacked onto the same outlet, more amps are needed to maintain proper power. If the outlet gets overloaded, an electrical malfunction can occur which can shoot small sparks which can cause a house fire. Please check that your string lights and other electronics do not exceed 15 amps.

We hope that these tips will help ensure that you have an enjoyable holiday season free from any unwanted fires.

May you have a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Christmas Safety Tips: https://youtu.be/n5KiLOg0_DY

For more information about our services, please visit https://www.mustangdisastercleanup.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mustangdisastercleanup

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/mustang-disaster-cleanup