Keep your holidays merry and bright

Helpful tips for the season:

• • When baking a turkey, stay in the home and check on it frequently.
  • When cooking on the stovetop, stay in the kitchen and keep an eye on the food.
  • Keep children, pets, and anything flammable away from cooking surfaces and heat sources.

• • Inspect all holiday lighting and electrical decorations for frayed or damaged cords.
  • Turn off all holiday lights when you go to bed or leave the house.
  • Use only non-combustible or flame-resistant materials to trim a tree.
  • Make sure your smoke alarms are working. Test them by pushing the test button.

• • Avoid using candles; they are a primary cause of house fires during the holidays.
  • Never nail, tack, or stress wiring when hanging lights; keep plugs off the ground away from puddles and snow.
  • For a live tree, make sure it always has an adequate amount of water, and keep it at least three feet away from any heat source.
  • For an artificial tree, choose one that is tested and labeled as fire resistant. Artificial trees with built-in electrical systems should have the Underwriters Laboratory (UL) label.