’Tis the Season for Safe Celebrations As you decorate for the holidays, keep safety first and foremost in your plans. Follow these important safety and energy-saving tips as you light up the season. In the Immortal Words of Aretha Franklin: R-E-S-P-E-C-T “Respect electricity at all times,” said Vernon Pierce, customer service director for Entergy Texas. “If you’re putting up outdoor lights, stay away from overhead power lines and the line that brings service to your home. When outdoors, also make sure that the lights used are designated for outdoor use and keep connections and lights off the ground by hanging them over wooden stakes. For outside use, work only with three-wire grounded extension cords. Socket to me, socket to me, socket to me, socket to me… Always inspect your lights before you use them. If the cords are worn or frayed, throw them away. Make sure the lights have been tested for safety by an independent testing laboratory. “Always make sure all of the light sockets have bulbs in them,” Pierce said. “Children are fascinated by lights and could put their fingers in empty sockets.” “Better yet, for greater efficiency and safety, use smaller, cool-burning LED lights,” he added. “LED bulbs use up to 90 percent less energy than a traditional bulb to produce the same amount of light.” Whichever type of lights you choose be especially careful not to overload extension cords, outlets or even whole circuits in the house. HO, HO….WHOA!! One of every three home Christmas tree fires is caused by electrical problems. That’s according to the National Fire Protection Association, which notes that while Christmas tree fires are not common, when they do occur, they have a higher chance to be deadly.
This NFPA demonstration shows how flammable a dry Christmas tree can be as opposed to a regularly watered tree. “A heat source close to the tree causes one in every five of the fires,” Pierce said. “Other causes are candles, electrical malfunctions and decorative lights.” When decorating with live trees, keep your family safe by following these tips:
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