Each year, about 1,300 people are treated in hospital emergency rooms for injuries related to holiday lights. In addition, Christmas trees are involved in about 500 fires annually, resulting in an average of $20 million in property loss and damage each year.

Decorating our homes for the holidays is a beautiful tradition, and to ensure that this holiday season is a safe and happy one, the Public Safety Department is releasing the following safety tips:

TREES

• When purchasing an artificial tree, look for the label FIRE RESISTANT. Although this label does not mean the tree won't catch fire, it does indicate the tree will resist burning and should extinguish quickly.
  
• When purchasing a live tree, check for freshness. A fresh tree is green, needles are hard to pull from branches, and when bent between your fingers, needles do not break. The trunk butt of a fresh tree is sticky with resin, and when bounced on the ground, the tree should not lose many needles.
  
• When setting up a tree at home, place it away from fireplaces and radiators. Because heated rooms dry live trees out rapidly, be sure to keep the stand filled with water. Place the tree out of the way of traffic and do not block doorways.

LIGHTS

• Indoors or outside, use only lights that have been tested for safety by a recognized testing laboratory.
• Check each set of lights, new or old, for broken or cracked sockets, frayed or bared wires, or loose connections, and discard damaged sets.
• Never use electric lights on a metallic tree. The tree can become charged with electricity from faulty lights, and a person touching a branch could be electrocuted.
• Fasten outdoor lights securely to trees, house walls, or other firm supports to protect the lights from wind damage. Use only insulated staples to hold strings in place, not nails or tacks. Or, run strings of lights through hooks (available at hardware stores).
• Turn off lights when you go to bed or leave the house. The lights could short out and start a fire.