Have a safe Christmas Holiday
Once again we’re in the middle of the Christmas season. With all the joy of the season, please take a few minutes to think about safety in your home. The Virginia Department of Forestry sent out the following tips this morning and I wanted to share them with you. Check out their web site and sign up for the Forestry News updates!
Share Fire Safety This Season
Holiday safety should be on your “to do” list during the
holiday season. Officials with the Virginia Department of Forestry are offering
these safety tips to help homeowners celebrate safely and reduce the risk of
fire.
Holiday Trees
- DO
NOT use candles on or near the tree. - Place
the tree away from heat sources, such as fireplaces and heaters. - Keep
your holiday tree in a sturdy base filled with water. Check the water
level daily. - Safely
dispose of your tree before it becomes dangerously dry. NEVER burn the
tree or tree parts in your fireplace.
Holiday Lights
- Use
“UL” approved lights. - Examine
all indoor and outdoor lights for frayed cords – replace if necessary. - Never
use lights that have an empty socket. - Lights
should not touch combustible materials. - “Indoor”
lights should never be used outdoors. - Avoid
using extension cords, but if you do follow instructions carefully. - Do
not overload electrical circuits, such as wall outlets and extension
cords. Use a circuit strip.
Holiday Gift Wrap
- Keep
combustible materials away from heat sources. - Never
burn wrappings in your fireplace.
-end-
The Virginia Department of Forestry protects and develops
healthy, sustainable forest resources for Virginians. Headquartered in
Charlottesville, there are Forestry staff members assigned to every county to
provide service to citizens of the Commonwealth. VDOF is an equal
opportunity provider.
With nearly 16 million acres of forestland and more than
144,000 Virginians employed in the forest products industry, Virginia forests
provide more than $27.5 Billion annually in benefits to the Commonwealth.