HENRICO COUNTY, Va. β With Thanksgiving approaching, many people are already planning their Christmas decorations.
Henrico Fire Battalion Chief Doug Reynolds emphasizes the importance of safety before stringing lights, decorating trees and preparing holiday meals.
"So you don't get a home visit from the Henrico Fire Department," Reynolds said.
Check your lights first
The first step in holiday safety is inspecting your lights before hanging them.
"When we pulled ours out, I had one set that was half working and half not working, so for me, throw them away. They are inexpensive. I want you to look at the wires. If they are frayed, broken lightbulbs, throw that thing away; it is not worth gambling your family for a $5 string of lights," Reynolds said.
Create safety circles around candles
While candles and greenery create beautiful holiday scenes, they pose significant fire risks. Reynolds recommends maintaining a 12-inch circle of safety around any open flames.
"Where you see beauty, I see danger. What I'm going to tell you to do is remove this greenery or anything that can catch on fire. I want you to go ahead and remove all this greenery, anything that can catch on fire. I want you to get that ruler out and I want you to do a 12-inch circle of safety," Reynolds said.
Battery-operated candles offer the safest alternative to traditional candles, especially in homes with pets or children who might accidentally knock them over.
Christmas tree safety
Christmas trees require a 3-foot safety circle from potential fire hazards, particularly if you choose a live tree. Reynolds shared how to test if a tree is too dry to bring indoors.
"When you go and inspect that tree, you grab those needles and check," Reynolds explained. "If you grab it and a handful of needles come out in your hand or if you bang it and there's a big pile of needles at the bottom, that tree is probably too dry and I wouldn't want it in my house."
For those who prefer live trees, daily watering is essential to reduce dryness and flammability.
"A heater, a floor vent, electric space heaters candles. Anything that could catch that tree on fire you want at least three feet away from it," Reynolds said.
Reynolds personally chooses artificial trees and bulbs that meet safety standards to minimize risks.
Kitchen fire prevention
Kitchen fires remain the leading cause of house fires, and the problem intensifies during the holidays. The three most dangerous days for cooking fires are Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.
"If you have things that are hanging close, you want to get that off of there. Boxes, paper towels, clear all that away from your stove," Reynolds said.
Oven cleanliness is particularly important during heavy cooking periods.
"Especially here with your oven, make sure you clean it out," he said. "Because we see a lot of people who have fires in the oven⦠the best thing to do is turn it off. Close that lid and that and that will help put the fire out."
Essential safety equipment
Reynolds stresses the importance of having fire extinguishers in easily accessible locations and ensuring smoke alarms have fresh batteries and are working properly.
"The studies show that once it goes off where a fire has gotten to the point where it goes off, you have two minutes basically to get out of your house safely before you have too much smoke and flames for you to safely get out. Proven lifesaver right here," Reynolds said.
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