Health library

Make fire safety a holiday priority

Never leave your kitchen feast unwatched. Set a timer when baking or roasting, and check on the food regularly. Don’t leave the kitchen while cooking on the stove. Keep flammables, such as oven mitts and towels, away from the stovetop.

Be cautious with candles. Consider flameless options, like LED candles. If you do light a candle, keep it at least a foot away from anything flammable. Put it out when you leave the room.

Water that tree. When choosing a live tree to decorate, check for freshness (the needles shouldn’t fall easily). Add water daily. A dry tree can burn easily.

Power decorations safely. When decorating with strings of light, replace any that have damaged cords or loose bulb connections. Always turn lights off before heading out or off to bed. Don’t overload extension cords or outlets.

Test your smoke alarms. Replace the batteries as needed.