The Citizen, 2010-12-23, Page 15THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, DECEMBER 23, 2010. PAGE 15.MS –Few holiday traditions are asaesthetically appealing as lighting ahouse and Christmas tree.
Neighbourhood passersby often
delight in a well-lit holiday home,
and some neighbourhoods even have
contests amongst their residents as
to who can create the most festive
holiday lighting display.
But as fun as stringing up and
designing a holiday lighting scheme
can be, it can be equally dangerous
as well. Film fans are well aware of
Clark Griswold’s hysterical efforts
to string up holiday lights in the
comedy classic National Lampoon’s
Christmas Vacation, But as oddball
and over-the-top as those efforts
were, they’ve also hit home for
many who have had accidents
stringing up holiday lights in years
past.
Consider the fact that Christmas
trees account for roughly 200 fires
annually – mostly from electrical
lights or open flames from candles –causing millions in propertydamage. In addition, each year plays
witness to thousands of visits to
local emergency rooms resulting
from falls that happen when
stringing up holiday lights.
But for every person who visits the
emergency room after a fall, there
are thousands more who make it
through the season safe and sound.
To do just that, consider the
following holiday lighting safety
tips.
• Check that outdoor lights – and
extension cords – are designed for
outdoor use.
• Inspect lights for any damages,
such as frayed strings, exposed
wires, loose connections, or any
broken or cracked sockets. Damaged
sets are a fire and safety hazard, so
replace any sets with any of the
aforementioned problems.
• Minimize extension cord use,
plugging lights directly into theelectrical sockets whenever possible.Check the fuse box to determine
how many amps your circuit can
handle safely.
• Routinely feel electrical cords
around the house and unplug any
that feel too warm.
• Turn off lights when you are
away from home and when you’re
asleep. Even if only for a midday cat
nap, unplug all lights just to be
safe.
• Do not strand more than three
light sets together.
• Do not use electric lights with a
metallic tree. Touch alone can lead
to a deadly electrical shock.
• Prevent wind damage to bulbs by
securely attaching all outdoor lights
to the house, walls or other firm
objects.
• Do not conceal cords under floor
mats or rugs. This can lead to trips
and falls.
• When hanging lights, alwaysemphasize safety and have a helperon hand. The ladder should be sitting
level, and when hanging lights,
stand centred on the rails of the
ladder.
• Keep all lighting decorations out
of reach of children and pets.
Children may be intrigued by the
lights and be tempted to play with
the wires or the bulbs, while thefamily pet might chew or pull oncords.
• Be especially careful with
candles. Candles are an obvious fire
hazard, so avoid placing them near
trees, decorations and wrapping
paper and do not put them in a place
where they can be knocked down or
blown over.
Keep safe when hanging Christmas lights
Having a nap
Members of the Grade 1/2 class at Blyth Public School decided to take a nap mid-performance
on Dec. 16 at the school’s annual Christmas concert as they sang “Away in a Manger”. (Shawn
Loughlin photo)
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