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Don’t let holiday decor turn into a holiday disaster

Posted at 6:17 AM, Dec 12, 2018
and last updated 2018-12-12 08:20:08-05

This time of year gives everyone a chance to decorate and get in the holiday spirit. But it can also post potential fire hazards.

KRIS 6 spoke with the Corpus Christi Fire Department about ways to stay safe this holiday season.

Captain James Brown of the CCFD, says luckily, Corpus Christi does not see as many holiday fires but that it’s still good to talk about precautions.

For the Christmas tree decorators, always be mindful of what is around your tree. The National Fire Protection Association says that a dry tree can burn faster than a newspaper. Capt. Brown says to continuously water your tree. Once pine needles start to fall off excessively then ya time to toss the tree. Even if you have a fake tree, be careful with lights and other decorations near by that are combustible.

Capt. Brown urges citizens to pay special attention to their extension cords, he says not to overload extensions and make sure there are no frayed wires.

Also be careful with candles throughout your home. According to NFPA, 56% of decoration fires were started by candles between 2012-2016, and the top day’s for candle fires are Christmas, New Years Eve and New Years Day. Experts say to keep heat combustible items at least 3-feet away from Christmas decor.

Although, you should check your home for anything hazardous, having a working smoke alarm will be the biggest safety net you could have for your home.

“We want everyone in the city to have working smoke alarms, and I always use the term, working smoke alarms,” says Brown. “Because some people may have them but they’ve taken out the batteries for some reason or another. We can’t over emphasize the importance of having smoke alarms, because they make a difference, they can save your life.”

For residents that do not have a smoke alarm, CCFD will install a smoke alarm for free.

A few of the requirements are; living in city limits, own and live in your home, live on low income, are a senior citizen or disabled.

You can find more info on smoke alarm installation here.