We are in the full swing of the holiday season!  While a joyous and fun time, it can be stressful and even dangerous if we’re not careful.

LIGHTING

Make sure all your lights are in good condition.  Do NOT use lights with frayed wires, missing or broken bulbs, etc. that could cause a fire hazard.  This goes for lights both inside and outside your home.  Dry conditions and the slightest spark can be all you need to start a fire!  Fires from your holiday decorations inside your home are very common.  One simple thing you can do is keep your natural tree sufficiently watered to prevent it from getting too dry.

Also, be smart with using extension cords and power strips – do not overload circuits or plug more lights into an outlet than you should.  Also be sure that all wiring is grounded correctly.  Do NOT bend or remove the 3rd prong (ground) from your cords or lighting to “make them fit” into a non-grounded outlet.  This is a huge risk!  Overloaded circuits are a big cause of fires.  The typical recommendation is to not plug more than three (3) strands of lights together to prevent excessive heat and fire risk.

Do not keep your lights on your tree or other interior holiday lights on unless you are home.  Your exterior lights are most likely going to be on both while you are home and while you are away.  However, do NOT go to bed with all your lights on.  Make sure you put electrical tape over any exposed plugs in your outdoor lighting to reduce the likelihood of sparks, shorts, and tripped circuit breakers.

CANDLES

Candles are a holiday staple, but like any other open flame present a great risk of fire.  Never leave a burning candle unattended.  Make sure there are no flammable materials nearby, and keep open flames away from drafts, doors and windows.  Ensure that candles are on a solid, non-flammable surface.  Of course, never leave candles burning when leaving your home.  Just leaving them “for a minute” is all it takes for a disaster to occur.

Decorations that have been in storage are dry and flammable.  Holiday wreaths, garland, stockings, and other home decor present fire risks when near lamps, lights, and other sources of heat.

Please check all your smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors in your home.  Test the batteries and make sure all detectors are in good working order.  Non-working smoke alarms are the cause of many unnecessary deaths from fires.  Once a smoke alarm goes off, you typically have less than 2 minutes to exit your home or office safely, so leave immediately when it goes off!

SECURITY

Another thing to keep in mind is the security of your holiday presents.  When shopping, keep all purchases in your trunk or under blankets and hidden from prying eyes that may break into your car if they are walking by and notice that new Xbox sitting on the back seat!  Do not leave anything out for others to see.

When having packages delivered to your home, you may want to consider having them shipped to an alternate location such as a UPS Store or to a neighbor’s who will be home when you are expecting deliveries.  This keeps packages off your front porch or steps where they can be easily stolen.  Using cameras and surveillance systems is an option, but unless you are physically at home when a package arrives, it is fair game for anyone going by.

Always shop during daylight hours if possible, and if not possible, stay in well-lit areas of stores and parking garages.  Refrain from carrying a lot of cash on you – use debit or credit cards to make your purchases.  Keep on top of your purchases to avoid problems with spending limits and also to monitor for any unauthorized use.  This is especially important when you are using your card(s) more frequently than usual.

When shopping, avoid carrying too many things in your arms that prevents you from quickly getting to your keys or everyday carry self-defense item like pepper spray.  Make multiple trips to your car if necessary so that you are not overly weighed down with packages.  This is one simply way to improve your safety.  It also prevents you from being surprised or unable to act because your arms are so full you can’t see over the packages at someone approaching!

During this time of year you will undoubtedly be approached by strangers asking for money or food who are trying to take advantage of the “holiday spirit” many people have this time of year.  Keep in mind that some of them may be trying to distract you while someone else tries to steal your money or your purchases.  Stay vigilant and aware, and notify store security or police if you notice someone suspicious hanging around.  Let them know if you are harassed by someone asking for money outside their store.  Be especially careful at ATM machines since many people get a large amount of money out prior to going shopping.  Thieves know this too, so be wary and limit the amount of cash you carry and only use well-lit ATM machines in public places.

Stay safe this holiday season and throughout the year!