** Reducing Holiday Fire Hazards **

All U.S. homes should have working smoke alarms. Fires can be prevented. A few easy steps can save your life! Trees When buying a live tree, check for freshness - green needles, trunk sticky with resin, and few lost needles when tapped on the ground. Never place a fresh Christmas tree next to a heat source. Heat dries out trees and makes them easier to catch on fire. Keep your tree stand filled with water at all times. When the tree gets dry, get rid of it. Look for a recycling center near you. Never burn a Christmas tree or its branches in a fireplace or wood stove. When buying an artificial tree, look for the label "Fire Resistant" or "Flame Retardant." Lights, candles, and other decorations Use only Underwriters Laboratories- or Intertek- (ETL) listed holiday lights. Check lights each year. Replace those with frayed or heavily kinked wires, gaps in insulation, or cracked sockets. When decorating outside, use only lights labeled for outdoor use. Do not link more than three strings of lights. Turn off holiday lights when you leave your home or go to bed. Use sturdy candle holders and place them where they're unlikely to be knocked over. Blow out candles before you leave your home or go to bed. Do not burn wrapping paper in the fireplace. Holiday Entertaining When cooking for guests, stay in the kitchen and keep an eye on the stove. If you or your guests smoke, do it outside. Provide deep ashtrays for smokers. Before dumping ashes in the trash, soak them in water. After a party, check for ashes and butts on the floor and seat cushions where people were smoking. Holiday Fire Facts Fire deaths are highest in the winter months. During the holiday season each year, fires injure about 2,600 people. Christmas trees are associated with 210 fires each year, resulting in 24 deaths, 27 injuries, and about $13 million in property losses. Holiday and other decorative lights cause about 240 fires each year. One fifth of these fires start in Christmas trees. Christmas Day is the peak day of the year for home candle fires.

** Summer Fire Safety **

All U.S. homes should have working smoke alarms. Fires can be prevented. A few easy steps can save your life! Barbecue Grills Keep grills at least 10 feet from siding and eaves. Never use a grill in a garage or carport. Before using a gas grill, check hoses and connections for leaks. Check that the venturi tubes-where gas and air mix-are not blocked. Never overfill a propane tank. Consumers should only use propane tanks that have a three-pronged valve: this is a sign that there is an overfill protection device in the tanks. When lighting a charcoal grill, use only charcoal starter fluid. Never add fluid after the fire is started. To dispose of hot coals, soak them with water and stir to make sure the fire is out. Never put coals in plastic, wood, or paper containers. Wear snug-fitting clothing when grilling. Fireworks For safety's sake, leave fireworks to the professionals. Stay back at least 500 feet from professional fireworks displays. If you do use fireworks, light them outdoors, away from dry grass. Always have a bucket of water or a fire extinguisher nearby. Never let children light or play with fireworks. Wear snug-fitting clothing while lighting fireworks. Summer Fire Facts Barbecue grills caused about 900 home fires and 3,500 outdoor fires in 2002. Half of all grill-related home fires begin on a balcony or unenclosed porch. More U.S. fires are reported on the 4th of July than on any other day. Fireworks account for half of those fires. In 2004, fireworks started about 1,600 structure fires. The tip of a sparkler burns at more than 1,200 degrees Fahrenheit-hot enough to cause third-degree burns.

** After A Storm **

All U.S. homes should have working smoke alarms. Fires can be prevented. A few easy steps can save your life! Keep battery-powered lanterns or flashlights to use instead of candles if the power goes out. If you must use candles, keep them out of reach of children and away from anything that could burn. When using a generator, use the right size and type of power cords. Always run a generator outdoors, never in enclosed areas like basements or garages. Never connect a generator to your home's electrical circuits without automatic-interrupt devices. Leave at least 3 feet between portable space heaters, fireplaces, or wood stoves and anything that can burn. (Heating Tips) Turn off space heaters when you go to sleep. Never use the stove or oven to heat your home. Never thaw frozen pipes with a blow torch or other open flame. If your home is damaged by a storm, smell and listen for gas leaks. If you think there's a leak, turn off the main gas valve, open windows, and get everyone outside quickly. If you suspect a gas leak, do not smoke or strike a match. Call the power company to report downed power lines. If there is a fire hydrant near your home, keep it free from snow and debris. After a Storm - Fire Facts Portable heaters are the leading cause of death in home heating fires. Candles cause more than 13,000 home fires each year. Downed power lines are a fire hazard, as well as being an electrocution hazard. Appliances that have been exposed to water can short and start a fire.

** Turkey Fryers **

Fires can be prevented. A few easy steps can save your life! For safety's sake, buy a fried turkey from a grocery store, specialty food store, or restaurant instead of frying it yourself. If you decide to fry a turkey, follow these tips to prevent fires and injuries: Place the turkey fryer on a level surface, in an open area away from homes, fences, sheds, and other structures. Never place the fryer on a wooden deck or porch or in a garage or carport. Leave at least 2 feet between the fryer and the propane tank. Keep the fryer in full view at all times. Keep children and pets away from the fryer. Check the oil temperature often. If you see smoke coming from the oil, turn off the gas right away. Completely thaw and dry the turkey before frying. Adding a partially frozen or wet turkey to the pot makes the oil splatter a lot, causing a fire or explosion hazard. Cover bare skin before adding or removing food from the fryer. Raise and lower food slowly to avoid splattering or spilling oil. Use the right amount of oil. To find out how much oil to use, read the fryer's instructions, or: Place the turkey in the pot. Fill with water until the turkey is covered by ½ inch of water. Remove the turkey and pat dry. Mark the water level in the pot. Dump the water, dry the pot, and fill oil to the level marked. If the fryer catches fire, call 911 right away. Do not try to put it out with water. Turkey Fryer Fire Facts Cooking fires peak on Thanksgiving Day. Between 1998 and 2005, the Consumer Product Safety Commission had 112 reports of fires or burns related to turkey fryers. Most fires from turkey fryers occur while the oil is being heated, before the turkey is added. Contact with hot oil can cause serious burns.