Monthly Safety Message

SELECTING YOUR CHRISTMAS TREE

• Select a fresh-looking, green tree. Run your fingers trough the branches. The needles should hold firmly. Avoid trees with needles already shedding or loose to the touch.
• Homeowners should water their tree at least three times a week, keeping the tree’s water container full at all times.
• Clean the reservoir with a mixture of 1 capful of bleach to 1 cup of water before placing your tree in it. This will reduce the growth of microorganisms that can block the tree’s ability to absorb water.
• Check the tree stand for leaks and make sure that the reservoir can hold at least one gallon of water. Fill it with plain water.
• When a tree is cut, a seal forms over the base, preventing water from being absorbed. You need to make a fresh cut at the base of the trunk. The cut should be at least one-half inch, and should be made even if a hole is drilled to accommodate a pin type stand. The fresh cut surface should be creamy white, not yellow brown.
• Place the tree in water as soon as possible once you’ve made the fresh cut.
• Trees can consume up to a gallon of water per day. Water your tree daily! If the water level drops below the end cut of the trunk, a seal will form and water will not be absorbed by the tree unless another fresh cut is made. A dry tree is highly flammable.
• If you must leave the tree outside the house after you purchase it, store it in a bucket of warm water on a cool porch or patio away from wind and sun.
• Place the tree away from heat sources such as heating vents, fireplaces, wood stoves and fireplaces, wood stoves and fireplace inserts, radiators, television sets or sunny windows.
• Keep the tree away from busy corridors and doorways. Make sure that rearranged furniture does not block your exits.
• Never use burning candles on a Christmas tree.
• Make sure your artificial tree is labeled as fire-retardant.

DECORATIONS

• Miniature lights produce much less heat than larger varieties. Use only U.L. listed lights on your trees. Before using lights outdoors, check labels to be sure they have been certified for outdoor use.
• Be careful not to overload electrical circuits. No more than three strings of lights should be connected. It is a good idea to use power surge protectors to help reduce the risk of power over current on the circuit.
• Check all lights for frayed or cracked wires. Check wire insulation and look for broken sockets. Do not attempt to repair lights. Discard broken sets and purchase new ones. Always make sure that you have turned the lights off before leaving home or going to bed.
• 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.
• Fasten outdoor lights securely to trees, house walls, or other firm supports to protect the light from wind damage. Use only insulated staples to hold strings in place, not nails or tacks. Or, run strings of lights though hooks.
• For added electric shock protection, plug outdoor electric lights and decorations into circuits protected by ground fault circuit interrupters (GFCIs). Portable outdoor GFCIs can be purchased where electrical supplies are sold. GFCIs can be installed permanently to household circuits by a qualified electrician.

FIREPLACES

• Never put your Christmas tree in your fireplace to burn! The high oil content in the needles will create your tree to ignite rapidly and be very volatile.
• Use care with “fire salts,” which produce colored flames when thrown on wood fires. They contain heavy metals that can cause intense gastrointestinal irritation and vomiting if eaten. Keep them away from children.
• Do not burn wrapping papers in the fireplace. A flash fire may result as wrappings ignite suddenly and burn intensely.
• Make sure you have a screen or glass enclosure to prevent logs from rolling out.
• Always douse your fire before leaving your home or retiring for the evening.

TOY SAFETY

• Follow recommended age ranges on toy packages. Toys that are too advanced could be a safety hazard for younger children. Purchase appropriate toys for the appropriate age.
• Before buying a toy or allowing your child to play with a toy that he has received as a gift, read the instructions carefully. If the toy is appropriate for your child, show him how to use it properly.
• Be careful of holiday gift wrapping, like bags, paper, ribbons, and bows. These items can pose suffocation and choking hazards to a small child.
• Children under age 4 can choke on small parts contained in toys or games and balls with a diameter of one and three-quarters of an inch or less.
• Watch for pull toys with strings that are more than 12 inches in length. They could be a strangulation hazard for babies.
• Electric toys should be UL(Underwriters Laboratory)/ FM(Fire Marshal) approved.
• Toys with sharp points, sharp edges, strings, cords, or parts small enough to be swallowed should not be given to small children.
• Place older ornaments and decorations that might be painted with lead paint out of the reach of small children and pets.
• You can always check with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission to find out recalls on various toys and equipment at www.cpsc.gov

CANDLE SAFETY

Remember, a candle is an OPEN FLAME. It can easily ignite any combustible material nearby.

• During a power outage, use flashlights instead of candles. In a disaster situation, you might have a gas leak and your candle could exacerbate the situation.

• Extinguish all candles when leaving the room or going to sleep.
• Keep candles at least 1 foot away from things that can catch fire, like clothing, books and curtains.
• Use candle holders that are sturdy, won’t tip over easily, are made from a material that cannot burn, and are large enough to collect dripping wax.
• Keep candles and all open flames away from flammable liquids.
• Keep candle wicks trimmed to one-quarter inch and extinguish taper and pillar candles when they get to within two inches of the holder. Votives and containers should be extinguished before the last half-inch of wax starts to melt.
• Never leave candles unattended. Most mishaps from candles happen when people are not in the same room as the lit candle. If you are going out, blow it out!

• There are various kinds of battery operated candles now available at a low cost to you. Some battery operated candles even have a simulated flicker to create a candle ambience.

  HEATING SAFETY

  As the temperature outside drops, families take to the indoors to keep safe and warm. What they may not realize is that turning up the heat can increase the risk of home heating fires.

  According to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), nearly half of all home-heating fires occur during the winter months. The latest NFPA research shows that heating equipment was involved in 62,200 reported U.S. home structure fires in 2005, with associated losses of 670 civilian deaths, 1,550 civilian injuries, and $909 million in direct property damage.

  While these numbers are frightening, nearly all of these fires are preventable. We can reduce the number of home heating fires in our community by taking some simple precautions and using heating equipment properly.

  NFPA and the Tiburon Fire Protection District recommend some simple home heating safety tips, so residents can help keep our community safe and warm this winter.

   

  • Have your chimney inspected each year and cleaned if necessary.
  • Use a sturdy fireplace screen.
  • Allow ashes to cool before disposing. Dispose of ashes in a metal container.
  • Install smoke alarms in every bedroom, outside each sleeping area and on every level of the home. For the best protection interconnect all smoke alarms throughout the home — when one sounds, they all sound. Test smoke alarms at least once a month.
  • Install and maintain a carbon monoxide alarm in a central location outside each sleeping area and sleeping room.
  • Never use an oven to heat your home.
  • For fuel assistance, contact the National Fuel Funds Network at 1-202-824-0660.
  • Space heaters need space. Keep all things that can burn, such as paper, bedding or furniture, at least 3 feet away from heating equipment.
  • Turn portable heaters off when you go to bed or leave the room.
  • Plug power cords only into outlets with sufficient capacity and never into an extension cord.
  • Inspect for cracked, frayed or broken plugs or loose connections. Replace before using.