Christmas Fire Safety

As many of us celebrate the Christmas season and the upcoming New Year the Zanesville Fire Department is asking us to do so with safety in mind.

This time of year many people are plugging in lots of Christmas lights and overloading extension cords and power strips.

“You defiantly don’t want to do that. They do sell different size different length power strips so you want to make sure you get the right size or length for what you are trying to do,” said Firefighter Pete Ferguson.

And when the weather turns colder, if you’re using an alternative heating source pay attention to what is around it.

“You want to make sure that you’re not placing a space heater within 3 feet of anything. With power strips you want to make sure you’re not overloading them and there’s no damage to them. Sometimes cords can get damaged or pinched and that can lead to a fire concern,” explained Ferguson.

While candles make look pretty when lit the fire department urges you to use caution, keep them out of the reach of children and pets who could easily knock them over, creating a fire hazard.