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(HealthNewsDigest.com) – NEW YORK — The activity and excitement of the holidays tend to make people less careful when they should be more cautious. There are an estimated 47,000 fires every holiday season that claim more than 500 lives a year.
Dr. Roger Yurt, director, and Nicole E. Leahy, R.N., M.P.H., manager of Outreach and Community Education at the Hearst Burn Center at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital/Weill Cornell Medical Center, urge you to take care all of the time, and offer these special tips for the holiday season:
* Trees: One in every 22 home fires caused by a tree results in death. Remember that trees that are cut early in the season quickly dry out to become fire hazards, so make sure to keep them well watered. Never put a tree in front of an exit and always make sure it is placed at least three feet from any heat source such as a space heater or radiator.
* Candles: The chance of having a candle fire quadruples during the holiday season. Never leave religious, or any, candles burning unattended. Make sure candles are placed at least three feet from curtains, holiday decorations, and Christmas trees.
* Decorations: Never decorate your holiday tree with candles, even if you don’t intend to light them. Keep all decorations away from sources of heat such as space heaters and radiators and, when possible, use fire retardant decorations.
* Lights: Only buy holiday lights that have been inspected by the Underwriters Laboratory (UL). Inspect and test lights each year before using them. Unplug the lights when going to sleep or leaving your home.
* Electricity and Electrical Wires: Never leave holiday lights on when you leave the house. If a wire should short, you might return to find your house on fire! Make sure not to overload outlets and use a surge protector when plugging in holiday lights and decorations.
* Fireplaces: Never place a tree near a fireplace. If there is no other place to put it, do not use the fireplace until after the tree has been removed and the needles have been cleaned up. Use of a screen over the fireplace will prevent embers from escaping. Keep small children at least three feet from the fireplace area.
* Holiday Cooking: Create a three-foot zone of safety around the stove, oven and cooking areas to ensure that children and other adults will stay clear of pot handles, oven doors and open burners on the stove. When cooking, wear tight-fitting clothing to prevent it from getting caught in a flame on the stove.
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