“Don’t Shoot Your Eye Out Billy!”

…Probably a phrase one is familiar with if you are fond of holiday season cinema. I recently attended a meeting sponsored by Alderman Osterman’s Office, at which Wally Schroeder with the Chicago Fire Department mentioned some fairly important reminders for the holidays, PARTICULARLY IN A HIGH RISE, to keep you safe so we can all enjoy the season. Here are some of the highlights:

1. CHECK YOUR SMOKE DETECTORS!!! – The #1 common variable in high rise fires where there is a fatality, is the lack of an operational smoke detector.

2. DO NOT USE LIVE TREES – They can literally be a fire bomb. However, if you do use a live tree, keep it watered.

3. DO NOT “PIG-TAIL” or TRAIN EXTENSION CORDS – This causes them to heat up, and while most products you can buy are generally safe, they can and have been know to fail, melt, spark and result in fire.

4. USE LED LIGHTS – LED lighting does not get as hot or as prone to heat related problems as other fixtures.

5. DO NOT USE LIVE CANDLES – But if you do, keep them contained in a fire resistant dish, and far away from any flammable materials.

6. DO NOT USE SPACE HEATERS – ESPECIALLY WITH AN EXTENSION CORD – However, if you do use a space heater – of course without an extension cord, make sure it is not on a carpeted surface and make sure it is at least three (3) feet away from all other furniture, fixtures and belongings.

I did some peaking around online, and found this link to “Holiday Safety Tips” by the National Safety Council, with some other very helpful ideas and information for the season:

N.S.C. HOLIDAY SAFETY TIPS

Also, this YOUTUBE video shows just how fast a dry Christmas Tree can envelop a living room:

CHRISTMAS TREE BURN VIDEO

Have a happy, healthy and most of all SAFE holiday season.