COLUMBUS, Ohio — As the holiday season lights up across Ohio, Fire Marshal Kevin Reardon is urging revelers to take extra precautions with their decorations. Reardon is sharing crucial advice to keep families safe during the festivities.
“Anytime you’re busy and rushing around during the holidays, it’s easy to overlook some common safety precautions,” Reardon said. “But with the colder temperatures and increased use of electrical devices, it's important to stay vigilant to prevent fires.”
Reardon says lights and cords are a common source of accidents, and some need to be inspected regularly for any damage.
“Make sure your lights are rated for outdoor use,” Reardon told Consumer 10. “Indoor lights can short out when exposed to the elements and cause long-term issues. If you're using lights indoors, check the cords and bulb attachments to make sure they’re in safe, working condition.”
Reardon points out that modern energy-efficient LED lights are a safer option compared to the older incandescent bulbs, which were known for getting very hot.
One of the most common mistakes people make during the holidays is overloading electrical outlets, especially when it comes to decorating around Christmas trees. Reardon recommends spreading out electrical devices across multiple outlets to avoid overloading a single circuit.
“Don’t use just one wall outlet in a room for everything,” Reardon advises. “Spread out the plugs to different outlets throughout the room. When you concentrate the load on one socket, that’s when you run into electrical problems.”
Reardon suggests using power strips with built-in circuit breakers to prevent overloading. These devices automatically shut off if too much power is drawn.
“For a two-outlet socket, no more than two cords should be plugged in,” Reardon says. “If you feel the cords or the outlet getting warm, that’s a sign that the circuit is overloaded.”
Space heaters, which are often used as alternative heating sources during the winter, should always be kept at least three feet away from flammable objects, including furniture and curtains, said Reardon, especially when real Christmas trees are in the home. Keeping the tree hydrated is essential to prevent it from becoming a hazard.
“Water, water, water,” Reardon insisted. “Water your tree daily. If you have a large tree, you may need to water it two or three times a day. The more hydrated the tree, the less likely it is to dry out and become a fire risk.”
Beyond decorations and heating, Reardon encourages all families to take this time to check their smoke detectors and recommends when buying batteries from toys, pick up a few extra for smoke detectors.
“Make sure to replace your smoke detector batteries if you haven’t already,” Reardon advises. “The holidays are a great time to do it because you’re already buying batteries for other devices.