The holiday season is filled with family, fun, magic … and, all too often, accidents. Among the most common, painful and dangerous injuries that occur during the holidays are burns. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), more burn injuries occur during this time of year than in any other season — and in 2009, 85 percent of all fire-related deaths occurred in the home.
Before you get too caught up in the decorating, the cookie-making and the shopping, take a few minutes to do a safety review. Put your family’s well-being first by checking out this holiday fire-prevention list:
- If you use an artificial tree, make sure that it is labeled fire-resistant. Fire-resistant doesn’t mean fireproof, but it will give you a measure of safety.
- Live trees should be fresh. The needles on a fresh tree do not snap or break when bent. Never set a tree near a heat source or fireplace, and make sure you keep the trunk in water. Once a tree starts to dry out, it’s time to remove it from your house.
- Buy decorative lights that are labeled as safe by a recognized testing laboratory, such as UL or ETL, and ensure that they have fuses.
- Never use indoor lights for outdoor decoration. Outdoor lights should be certified for outdoor use.
- Candles add a festive touch to the holidays, but they should never be left unattended or within the reach of children and pets.
- Keep an eye on the turkey or the roast. Cooking is the primary cause of residential fires.
Following these simple tips can help keep your holidays safe. Unfortunately, in spite of your best efforts, products that are improperly labeled or defective can cause serious burn injuries. If you or a family member has been harmed, a burn injury lawyer at Stipe Law Firm can help you recover compensation. Contact us for help today!