Home — Safety — Holiday Fire Safety
Holidays bring families together to celebrate and remember the true joy of life is seeing joy in others.
These celebrations frequently include decorations and large meals. Together these items can be a recipe for a fire. The information below comes from the United States Fire Administration and the National Fire Protection Association.
If you have any questions about these items, call us at (239) 348-7540 or e-mail us.
Facts
- In 1999, there were 370 Christmas tree fires in homes in the United States that resulted in five deaths, 60 injuries and $15.7 million in damages.
- Candles caused an estimated 15,040 fires, 102 deaths, 1,473 injuries and $278 million in property damage.
- 14 percent of those candle fires occurred in December, almost twice the 8 percent monthly average.
- In 11 percent of the December candle fires, the fires began when a decoration caught fire, compared to a yearly average of 2 percent.
Safety Tips
Holiday Decorating and Lighting
- Use decorations made with flame-resistant, flame retardant or non-combustible materials.
- Real trees are not allowed in commercial businesses unless they are treated with a rated fire retardant. Contact our Fire Prevention Bureau for more information.
- Keep candles away from decorations and combustible materials. Do not use candles to decorate trees.
- Purchase lights and electrical decorations that bear the name of an independent testing lab. Follow manufacturer instructions for installation and maintenance.
- Inspect all light strings. Replace damaged parts before plugging in lights. Do not overload extension cords.
- Unplug lights before replacing light bulbs or fuses.
- Do not mount lights in ways that may damage their cords' wire insulation.
- Keep children and pets away from light strings and electrical decorations.
- Turn off all light strings and decorations before leaving the house or going to bed.
Holiday Entertaining
- Unattended cooking is the leading cause of home fires in the United States. Never leave your stove unattended. For more information, visit our Kitchen Fire Prevention Section.
- Cigarette butts can smolder and cause a fire. Douse cigarette butts with water before discarding.
- After a party, check upholstry, cushions and inside trash cans for smoldering cigarette butts.
- Store matches and lighters out of sight and reach of children. When smokers visit, ask them to keep smoking materials with them so young children do not touch them.
- Test your smoke alarms and explain your fire escape plan to guests.
