Holiday safety: Tips to stay safe this Holiday season

Published Nov. 23, 2010
By Airman 1st Class Matthew Hubby
436th Airlift Wing Public Affairs

DOVER AIR FORCE BASE, Del. -- With the holiday season now in full swing people's minds are on gifts, shopping and baking yummy treats. While people's focus may be on finding a good bargain, remembering recipe ingredients and wrapping gifts, safety has the potential to take a back seat.

According to the National Fire Protection Association, during 2003-2007, fire departments responded to more than 240 fires started by Christmas trees each year, resulting in 14 deaths, 26 injuries and $13.8 million in property damage.

"When buying a live tree, it should be fresh. The needles should be hard to pull off," said Sandra Nelson, Eagle Heights community director. "When looking at artificial trees they should be fire resistant. Always place trees away from fireplaces and radiators. Keep live trees watered, as heated rooms will dry out live trees very quickly."

However, trees are not the only cause of house fires during the holidays. According to the NFPA, during 2003-2006, more than 14,500 fires were started by candles. These fires resulted in more than 150 deaths, 1,340 injuries and an estimated $471 million in damage.

"People should avoid using candles as decorations for the holidays," said Mrs. Nelson. "But if people decide to use them, they should keep them within sight at all times, and never use them near or on a tree or any other evergreens. They should use non-flammable holders and keep them out of the reach of children or pets."

Indoor and outdoor lights can also pose a fire hazard if not properly used or rated for the job. All lights should be tested for safety by a recognized testing laboratory and marked with a UL or ETL lab stamp. Always check lights for fuses, broken or cracked sockets, frayed or bare wires, or loose connections. Damaged sets should be thrown out, and burned out fuses and bulbs replaced, said Mrs. Nelson.

"People should make sure the extension cord they are using is rated for outdoor use if they are using it outside," said Mrs. Nelson. "And all outdoor lights and decorations should be plugged into circuits protected by ground-fault circuit interrupters, to prevent electric shock. Also, be very careful when using ladders to put up lights by using a spotter, and keeping the ladder anchored to a corner of the roof."

According to the Eagle Heights residence guide, all holiday decorations should be placed no higher than the edge of the roof gutter and attached only with the proper plastic clip-on hooks. Housing residents should not run the cords through windows or doors or across heating ducts or vent systems, as this causes a fire safety hazard.

Of course, safety isn't limited only to indoor and outdoor decorations. Travel is a large part of the holiday season, with many families taking to the road to shop or visit relatives. While operating a motor vehicle people should always wear their seatbelt in accordance with Air Force policy and the law. People often forget during the rush of the season to leave the texting on the cell phone until after they have gotten out of the car, for proper safety people shouldn't text while driving and many states - including Delaware - have laws prohibiting the use of your handheld cell phone while driving.

"People would rather their families arrive late than not at all," said Lt. Col. Bryan Cessna, 436th Airlift Wing Safety chief. "Trying to push while driving can lead to fatigue, which can lead to mishaps. Last year during the holiday season, the Air Force lost no people. We'd like to see that trend continue."

This time of year is a historically high period for travel, said Colonel Cessna. This increases the opportunities for mishaps to happen.

"There are more people on the road this time of year," said Stephen Groller, 436th Airlift Wing Voluntary Protection Program manager. "There are also more factors for danger during this time of year as well, it gets darker sooner, the weather can be bad and people who are driving may not have their mind on the task."

The best way to prevent mishaps is to be proactive, he said. Watching out for your wingmen, on-and-off duty and helping them out if they are potentially entering a dangerous situation.

"During this time of year, there are so many outside influences affecting people's concentration," said Mr. Groller. "Everyone is like a juggler, juggling too many different thoughts. While you're driving, working or even decorating, you might not be completely focused and that can lead to accidents. Keeping focused on the moment or task at hand, can keep everyone and their wingman out of harm's way so they can spend a wonderful holiday with their family."