The holidays are a wonderful time of year when families gather together and homes are brightened with the glitter of decorations. In the excitement of the season, however, safety is often overlooked.

Video Transcription

[Music Playing] The Holiday season is a primetime for entertaining but decorative lights and home cooked meals that add to the ambiance also increase the likelihood of fires. Cooking is the leading cause of home fires in December. Avoid leaving food that is cooking unattended. Be sure to keep children and pets away from appliances and keep towels and other combustibles away from cooking areas. With greater activity comes increase energy use. Be careful not to over burn your electrical system by running clothes driers, space heaters and other high energy appliances at the same time. Keep space heaters at least 3 feet away from curtains. For safety reasons, always read and follow the manufacturer’s instructions. For additional safety information and recall notices, it is important you return warranty information to the manufacturer. ESFI recommends working smoke detectors, carbon monoxide detectors and fire extinguishers on each floor of your home. For more electrical safety tips, please visit holidaysafety.org.