As we enter the holiday season our hope is that you and your family enjoy it safely. Here are our 12 Days of Holiday Safety:

1. Remember Change-Your-Clock, Change-Your-Battery? Test your smoke and carbon monoxide alarms. Replace your smoke detector if it’s over 10 years old and replace your carbon monoxide detector if it’s over 5 years old. Ensure your family and guests know what to do if they hear them activate by knowing and practicing your escape route and having an outside meeting place.
2. Don’t be shocked by your lights or appliances! Check those cords regularly.
3. Overload isn’t just something that affects your daily life. Check to ensure this holiday doesn’t put a strain on your outlets!
4. Use that test button. Test your ground fault circuit interrupters (GFCIs) to ensure they’re protecting you; you probably have them in your kitchen, bathrooms and garage at the minimum.
5. Will this trip you up? Prevent trips and falls by keeping electrical cords safely along walls and out of doorways and other high traffic areas.
6. Kids and pets find the oddest things “tasty!” Don’t put lights, metal hooks, breakable ornaments, tinsel and small decorations within reach of your pets and young children.
7. Trees need to drink too. Keep your Christmas tree stand full of water. A fresh, green tree poses less of a fire hazard than a dry tree.
8. Is your home fire extinguisher fully charged and up to date? Is it accessible? Remember the four steps to using your fire extinguisher: PASS – Pull the pin, Aim at the base of the fire, Squeeze the handle and Sweep side to side!
9. Make a wish! Blow out the candles before leaving a room or going to bed. Better yet, use battery operated faux candles; just as pretty and NO fire hazard!
10. Cozy on a winter’s night? Keep space heaters at least 3 feet away from anything that can burn-decorations, trees, gifts, furniture and curtains. 11. Have you adopted your fire hydrant? If snow covers “your” fire hydrant and you can’t see it, guess what? We can’t see it either. Please clear the snow from around the hydrant, 3 feet in every direction.
12. Now that’s hot! Keep children away from unsupervised cooking areas; use the stove’s back burners and turn pot handles in away from curious little hands. May the special joys of the season be yours today and always,

<p style=”text-align: center;”>Be careful out there…</p>
<p style=”text-align: center; font-size: 24px; font-style: script;”>David S. Riddle, Chief</p>