The holidays bring a heady mix of hazards and delights. Here with a few safety tips to help your family make it to 2019, is Reporter Heather Clisby…
As we hang the lights and string the tinsel, the San Bernardino Fire Department wants to keep you and your family safe through the season with these tips:
If you are using a natural tree, make a fresh one-inch base cut to open up sap-clogged pores so that the tree will be able to drink water. Choose a sturdy tree stand that will hold at least one gallon of water. Rinse the stand with one capful of bleach and one cup of water before installing the tree to reduce microorganisms that can inhibit the tree’s water absorption. Be sure to water daily to avoid a seal being formed on the cut.
Double check light decorations and artificial pre-lit trees for broken or burned-out bulbs and empty sockets while inspecting for broken or frayed wires. Damaged light strands should be thrown out. Remember, miniature lights produce less heat and reduce drying on a natural tree. Place the tree away from heating vents, fireplaces, wood stoves, radiators, TVs, or sunny windows.
Turn off tree lights when leaving the house or before going to bed. Avoid overloading circuits—plug no more than three light sets into a single outlet.
Post-holidays, remove a natural tree as soon as possible. Never burn any part of a Christmas tree in a wood stove or fireplace; it burns too fast and may explode. The best option is to recycle your tree, if possible.
