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TextFire Safety Tips for the Holiday Season
Fairfax County Office of Public
Affairs
12000 Government Center Parkway, Suite 551
Fairfax, VA 22035-0065
703-324-3187, TTY 703-324-2935, FAX 703-324-2010
Dec. 15, 2004
Fire Safety Tips for the Holiday Season
Not only is this the season for holiday cheer, but also the worst season for fires. More people are decorating with candles, trees and lights, using fireplaces, and overloading electrical outlets – all leading causes of fires at this time of year.
- To ensure a safe holiday season, keep the following fire safety tips in mind:
- Water your tree regularly to keep it fresh and place it away from heat to prevent it from drying out.
- Unplug tree lights at night and when leaving the home.
- Do not use the fireplace for disposal of wrapping paper, boxes, or your tree.
- Do not decorate with real candles.
- Do not overload electrical outlets.
- Keep an eye on friends and family members who smoke to be sure ashes don’t fall on furniture, gifts or wrapping paper, and don’t empty ashtrays into the trash.
- Make sure your smoke alarm and fire extinguisher work.
If you will be spending time in your basement, it should have one exit leading to the outside in case of fire. In fact, the new residential building code now requires all basements finished after Oct.1, 2004, to have a door or window to the outside. If the plans for the finished basement do not include one, another must be provided by cutting a new opening into an existing foundation wall and constructing a window well or areaway. This will save lives during fire emergencies when the main means of exit from a basement cannot be used.
For more information or to request a speaker on
fire safety or changes to the building codes, contact the Office of
Public Affairs at 703-324-3187, TTY 703-324-2935.
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