Prevent holiday fire mishaps through easy tips

  • Published
  • By Master Sgt. William Taylor
  • Eielson Fire & Emergency Services Flight
EIELSON AIR FORCE BASE, Alaska --  The holidays are just around the corner and Eielson Fire and Emergency Services would like to remind base personnel of some holiday fire safety tips.

Propane turkey fryers (deep fat fryers) fall under the same rules as regular barbecue grills.

· I.A.W 354 FWI 32-2001 10.12. Barbecue Grills: Barbecue grills will not be used inside or within 10 feet of any Air Force facility. 

· The use of barbecue grills and deep fat fryers is prohibited inside your home.

Holiday decorations can give a home just the right festive touch, but don't forget they can also be dangerous if not used properly. Each year, hospital emergency rooms treat about 12,500 people for injuries related to holiday lights, decorations and Christmas trees, according to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission. In fact, Christmas trees are involved in about 300 fires annually, resulting in 10 deaths, 30 injuries and an average of more than $10 million in property damage. Follow a few simple safety tips when decorating for the holiday season: 

· If purchasing live/fresh cut trees, carefully inspect the needles. If they're brown or break easily, the tree isn't fresh and poses a greater fire risk. When taking the tree home, put it in a sturdy, non-tip stand and keep it filled with water at all times. 

· Place tree or greens at least three feet away from fireplaces, radiators and other heat sources. 

· Use only Underwriters Laboratories (UL) approved lights and cords. 

· Read and follow the manufacturer's instructions for the electrical decorations being used and carefully inspect each electrical decoration for deficiencies. 

· Turn off all electrical light strings and decorations before leaving home or going to bed. 

Finally, we would like to remind all base occupants that keeping facility exits and fire hydrants clear of snow and ice is everyone's responsibility. It is both the facility manager and the occupant's responsibility to ensure that all exits are free of snow, ice, and other obstructions. 

Fire hydrants next to duty section buildings and housing units should be looked at periodically and cleared after each snowfall to ensure the Fire Department can access them. While shoveling a walkway, it only takes a few extra minutes to clear snow from around the fire hydrants. For more information, call the Fire Prevention Section at 377-1293 and have a safe and happy holiday.