Holiday Safety Means Holiday Cheer

The holidays are a time for decoration. We spend time and money to make our homes beautiful. Many holiday decorations include electrical elements for lighting and special effects. Although a single cord or decoration will hardly affect our home's electrical system, the way in which we string together and connect multiple decorations can overload our circuits. No one wants to deal with a fire at home — much less when we should be enjoying our time with friends and family.

Our friends at the Electrical Safety Foundation International (ESFI) and the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) have put together guidelines for safe and happy holidays. A few of the essentials:



  • Inspect light strings and extension cords before use; discard any that are frayed, cracked, or damaged.
  • Don't overload outlets or daisy-chain too many light strings onto a single circuit.
  • Use lights and cords rated for the location — outdoor-rated products for outdoor use.
  • Keep live trees watered and decorations away from heat sources and open flames.
  • Turn off all decorations before leaving home or going to bed.

From all of us at The Bilingual Safety Guy — have a safe and happy holiday season!

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