Be Careful With Those Trees!

It’s the most wonderful time of the year – unless your business is not taking proper precautions against building fires. Every year around this time, fire departments all around Maryland, Virginia, and Washington, DC host demonstrations reminding people about the importance of fire safety during the holidays. Even so, approximately 210 residential and commercial fires occur year year around this time. At Guardian Fire Protection, we want everyone to enjoy the holidays in Maryland, Virginia or Washington, DC building, follow these tips to make sure your holiday cheer doesn’t turn your business to coal!

Holiday Fire Safety Tips – Choosing a Tree

• If you’re using an artificial holiday tree, make sure it’s UL certified as fire retardant. Remember, of course, that fire retardant does not mean fireproof – you’ll still need to follow necessary precautions.
• If you use a real tree, choose one with fresh green needles that won’t fall off – dried out trees are much more likely to catch fire.

Holiday Fire Safety Tips – Setting Up the Tree

• Keep all trees, natural or artificial, away from all heat sources, including fireplaces, radiators, candles, heat vents, lights, and anything else that could pose a fire hazard.
• Set up your tree in a place that does not block your fire exits.
• Make sure you water real trees so they don’t dry out.

Holiday Fire Safety Tips – Lighting the Tree

• Make sure you use UL certified lights that are designed for indoor use only.
• Throw away worn or broken lights.
• Don’t connect more than three strands of lights together.
• Never decorate a tree, real or fake, with real lit candles.
• Always turn off and unplug the lights before you leave for the night.

Holiday Fire Safety Tips – Undecorating

• Remove real trees as soon as they start to drop needles. Dried out trees are the number one cause of holiday fires.

At Guardian Fire Protection, we want everyone to have a happy and safe holiday season. If you’re planning on celebrating by putting up a holiday tree in your building, make sure you follow the tips above to prevent your holiday from becoming a nightmare! And remember, if you need fire sprinkler maintenance, fire alarm inspection or just a couple new fire extinguishers, call one of the leading DC area fire protection services companies – call Guardian Fire Protection today!