2012 Holiday season safety tips Published Oct. 30, 2012 By Elizabeth Dewar-Otero 5th Civil Engineer Squadron MINOT AIR FORCE BASE, N.D. -- The holiday season is rapidly approaching. We are all looking forward to special gatherings and celebrations with loved ones. Decorating your home for the holiday season can bring joy and satisfaction when safety is kept in mind. Every year nationwide, there are an estimated 128,700 fires with 1,650 injuries and 415 deaths during the holiday season. Decorations, cooking and candles are to blame for many house fires and nearly $25.5 million in property damage. A little caution and planning while decorating may help keep this season safe. During Thanksgiving an average 2,000 fires occur. These fires happen most frequently in the afternoon hours from 12-4 pm peaking from noon to 1 pm with 69% caused by cooking. POISONOUS DECORATIONS: Be alert and aware of toxic decorations. Mistletoe, holly berries and poinsettia may be poisonous if swallowed, especially to children and animals. Many old forms of tinsel contain lead. Discard old tinsel if you are not sure of its composition. Fire salts, which produce a multicolored effect when thrown on burning wood, contain heavy metals, which when swallowed, may cause serious gastrointestinal problems and vomiting. Should your child consume any of these hazardous substances, immediately call your physician and the National Poison Control Center at 1-800-222-1222. Fireplaces: Fireplaces are very inviting and festive during the holidays. Have your chimney inspected and cleaned by a professional prior to the start of every heating season. Creosote, a chemical substance that forms when wood burns, builds up in chimneys and can cause a fire if the chimney is not properly cleaned. Protect your family and home by using a sturdy screen when burning fires. When starting a fire, remove decorations from the area and be sure that the flue is open. Remember to burn wood only. You should not burn wrappings or evergreen boughs as they can burn extremely fast, throwing off sparks and burning debris, which could cause damage to your home inside and out. Safely dispose of wrappings with your normal trash collection. Never use flammable liquids in a fireplace. Portable space heaters: Place space heaters at least three feet away from anything combustible, including wallpaper, bedding, clothing, pets and people. Leave space heaters operating only when you are in the room. Turn off before going to bed. Don't leave children and pets unattended with space heaters. Remind family members that drying wet clothing over a space heater is a fire danger. Wood stoves: Confirm your wood stove or coal stove bear the label of a recognized testing laboratory, and meets local fire codes. Follow manufacturer's recommendations for proper use and maintenance. All chimney connections and chimney flues should be inspected at the beginning of each heating season and cleaned if necessary. Please follow the same safety rules for wood stoves as you would for space heaters. Burn only wood, and be sure the wood stove is placed on an approved stove board to protect the floor from heat and hot coals. Check with your local fire department and check local codes before having your wood stove installed. Cooking with care: A general rule when cooking is to avoid wearing loose clothing. It can be ignited by hot burners. Turn pot handles in. Don't store items on top of the stove, they can catch on fire. Keep kitchen appliances clean and in good condition, and turn them off after use. Don't overload electrical outlets and avoid using appliances with frayed or cracked wires and cords. Designate a driver: When attending wonderful holiday parties, always designate a non-drinking guest to be your driver. If you are the host of the holiday celebration, be sure there are non-alcoholic beverages available for the guests. Also please keep in mind that during the holiday months more people travel than at any other time of the year. Wearing a seat belt is the easiest and best way to help prevent injuries in a motor vehicle accident. Remind passengers to also wear safety belts. Tree safety: When buying a natural tree, the most important safety factor is freshness. The higher the moisture content the less likely it is to dry out and become a fire hazard. Always check for freshness by examining the needles. The needles should bend between your fingers without breaking. Also, tap the tree on a firm surface, if a large number of needles fall off, the tree is too dry. Do not rely on the tree color as many are sprayed green. To keep your tree fresh longer, before you decorate, cut approximately two inches off the trunk, then mount in a sturdy water holding stand with wide spread legs and water the tree daily. To further reduce possible fire hazards, locate the tree away from fireplaces, wall furnaces and other heat sources. Do not block stairs and doorways. Always dispose of the tree when needles begin to fall off in large quantities. Tree ornaments and trimming: Try to avoid placing small or breakable ornaments on lower branches where children and pets can reach them and knock them off. Every year many children and pets are treated for cuts from broken ornaments, or from swallowing small parts and broken pieces. Holiday lighting : When using electric lights, check for broken or cracked sockets or frayed wires. Replace the string of lights as necessary with UL approved lights. Take note of indoor and outdoor designation when hanging lights. To avoid overloading extension cords, connect no more than three sets of lights to one end. Outlets should be readily accessible for quick disconnection if an emergency arises. Avoid using lighted candles on or near a tree or other decorations. All the lights should be securely fastened to the tree. Try and prevent bulbs from coming in contact with the needles or branches. Remember to turn off all holiday lights when you leave home or retire for the evening. Outdoor lights should be weatherproof and clearly identified for outdoor use. Remove outdoor lights when the holiday season is over. Decorative lights are not designed to withstand prolonged exposure to the elements. Always take care when burning candles. Be sure they are kept away from decorations or other combustible materials. Don't leave children unattended in a room with lit candles, and keep candles, matches and lighters, out of the reach of children. It is highly recommended that you should not display burning candles in windows or near exits. Should you choose an artificial tree, make sure it bears the UL label. To avoid electric shock on metal trees, use a colored spotlight in lieu of electric lights. Plastic trees should be made of fire resistant material. As with natural trees, keep away from all heat sources. Turkey fryers: Done right and safely a fried turkey can be the best turkey you ever ate however many units easily tip over spilling the hot oil from the cooking pot. If the cooking pot is overfilled with oil, the oil may spill out of the unit when the turkey is placed in the pot. This action can cause a fire to engulf the entire pot. A turkey that is wet or partially frozen placed in the fryer also can cause spillover which may result in an extensive fire. If the fryer doesn't have a thermostat control, the oil can overheat to the point of combustion. Important safety information: Turkey fryers should always be used out doors away from buildings and other flammable materials. Never use turkey fryers in a garage or wooded deck. Make sure fryer is on a flat surface to reduce tipping over. Never leave fryer unattended. Never let children or pets near the fryer even if not in use, the oil can remain hot for several hours. To avoid spillover, don't overfill the pot. Use well insulated potholders or oven mitts when touching the pot or lid. Consider wearing safety goggles to protect your eyes from oil splatter. Make sure the turkey is completely thawed and dry before placing in the pot. The National Turkey Foundation (NTF) recommends thawing the turkey in the refrigerator approximately 24 hours for every five pounds of weight. Keep an all purpose fire extinguisher nearby. Never use water to put out a grease fire. Call your local fire department for help Food Safety: Holiday buffets are convenient and a fun way to entertain crowds, but leaving food out for long periods of time can invite bacteria that cause food borne illnesses. Keep your holiday foods safe, cook them thoroughly, use shallow containers and never leave them sitting out more than two hours. Keep food at appropriate temperatures. Finally as in every season, have working smoke alarms installed on every level of your home, test them monthly, and replace batteries every six months. Know when and how to call emergency services and remember to practice your home escape plan.