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10 Tips Keep the Holiday Home Bright and Safe

Operation Decoration 2004NORTHBROOK, Ill., - Nov. 23, 2004 - For many people, trimming the Christmas tree and decorating the home signals the start of another memorable holiday season.

But unless you deck your tree, halls and walls safely, the season could be memorable for the wrong reasons, says John Drengenberg, manager of Consumer Affairs at Underwriters Laboratories Inc. (UL), the not-for-profit product safety testing organization. "Each year, an estimated 370 fires involve Christmas trees, both real and artificial, and 12,500 people are treated in hospital emergency rooms for injuries related to holiday decorations. But if you follow a few basics of safety when decorating, you can avoid having the season marked by serious personal injury or damage to your home."

To help you enjoy the holidays, the safety experts at UL, the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) and the National Christmas Tree Association (NCTA) offer the following checklist to use when decorating your home this season.

  1. Check your tree for fresh, green needles. Trees that have dried out over several weeks are easier to ignite. Remember to keep your tree watered at all times.
  2. Make sure your tree stand holds at least 1 gallon of water. As a general rule, stands should provide 1 quart of water per inch of stem diameter. The average 6-foot tree has a 4-inch diameter trunk and can consume as much as 4 quarts or 1 gallon of water per day.
  3. Clean water is all that is needed to keep the tree fresh. Do not use additives in the water, such as floral preservatives, molasses, sugar, bleach, soft drinks, aspirin.
  4. Keep your tree at least 3 feet from fireplaces, radiators, space heaters, heating vents and other sources of heat. Don't place the tree where it blocks an exit.
  5. Use lights and decorations that bear the UL Mark. The UL Mark means UL engineers have tested samples of the product for potential fire and electric shock hazards. Light strings with UL's green holographic label are for indoors use only; lights with UL's red holographic label are for either indoors or outdoors.
  6. Carefully inspect every electrical decoration before plugging it in. Cracked sockets, frayed, loose or bare wires, and loose connections may cause serious electric shock or start a fire. Replace damaged items with new decorations.
  7. Check your light strings to determine the maximum number of strings that may be connected. For push-in bulbs connect no more than three strings; for screw-in bulbs connect a maximum of 50 bulbs.
  8. Don't overload extension cords.
  9. Don't hang lights with staples or nails that can damage the cord's wire insulation.
  10. Turn off all electrical light strings and decorations before leaving home or going to bed.

About Underwriters Laboratories

Underwriters Laboratories Inc. (UL) is an independent, not-for-profit product safety certification organization that has been testing products for more than 110 years. UL tests more than 18,850 types of products annually, and more than 19 billion UL Marks appear on products each year. Worldwide, UL's family of companies and its network of service providers include 60 laboratories, and testing and certification facilities.

About the National Fire Protection Association

The National Fire Protection Association has been a worldwide leader in providing fire, electrical, and life safety to the public since 1896. The mission of the international nonprofit organization is to reduce the worldwide burden of fire and other hazards on the quality of life by developing and advocating scientifically based consensus codes and standards, research, training and education.

Press Contacts:

For additional information on these and other safety tips, or to schedule an interview, please contact one of the following representatives:
Joanne Beardslee, UL/Rhea & Kaiser, +1-630-955-6618, joanne_beardslee@rkconnect.com
Stewart Reeve, UL/Rhea & Kaiser, +1-636-928-0920, stewart_reeve@rkconnect.com
Margie Coloian, NFPA, +1-617-984-7275 or mcoloian@nfpa.org
Rick Dungey, NCTA, +1-314-205-9103 or dungey@realchristmastrees.org

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