Decorating Safely for the Holidays

SOUTH ZANESVILLE, Ohio – It’s that time of year when many people decorate their homes to better embrace the holiday season.

But unsafe decoration placements and faulty devices can bring sorrow to what should be a festive occasion. South Zanesville Fire Department Chief Russell Taylor shared some tips that people can use while decorating for the holidays. 

“The inside Christmas trees, there’s a couple things you need to know,” Taylor said. “One, make sure it stays watered all the time. Keep water in the base of it. And if that tree looks like it’s turning any kind of brown or the needles are falling off from it, it means it’s already in the dying process and it’s easier for it to catch fire.”

Another holiday decorating issue that can be really dangerous is overloading electrical circuits. Taylor recommends using surge protectors and plugging your decorations into different circuits to better distribute the electrical load.

“One main thing you need to know,” Taylor said. “At night time before you go to bed, make sure you if you have a live tree especially, you cut that tree off at night because you don’t want it to burn because it heats them limbs up, heats the twigs up and eventually dries it out.”

Some families light candles to add to their holiday experience. Taylor noted that candles should not be placed near anything that they could easily ignite or be placed where children or pets could easily knock them over.