Don’t Set Your Tree on Fire — And Other Holiday Safety Tips

Ahh, the holidays. A time for cherished family traditions, road trips to grandma’s house and — if you aren’t careful — an unexpected trip to urgent care or the emergency department. The holidays are high season for food-borne illnesses and accidental injuries. Follow these tips to help keep your family safe.

Protect Your Christmas Tree From Going Up in Smoke

Between 2016 and 2020, an average of 160 home fires started with Christmas trees every year, according to a 2022 report from the National Fire Protection Association. Those fires resulted in a yearly average of two deaths, 11 injuries and $12 million in damaged property. Electrical problems with holiday lights are often to blame. Another culprit is when ornaments hang too close to a heat source, such as a fireplace, candle or radiator.

Here are some guidelines for buying and setting up holiday lights:

• Holiday lights should come in a box with a “UL Listed” label, the “seal of approval” by Underwriters Laboratories. UL is a not-for-profit organization that tests and certifies products for safety.
• Use lights labeled “for outdoor use only” when hanging outdoor lights. The same goes for hanging “indoor use only” lights indoors.
• Inspect indoor and outdoor lights for broken sockets, frayed wires and loose connections.
• Don’t overload outlets with too many electrical devices.
• Turn off holiday lights before leaving the house or going to bed.

Follow these tips when you buy and set up your tree:

• Going artificial? Be sure your tree is labeled “fire-retardant.”
  
  
• Buying a live tree?
  • Choose a tree with fresh, green needles that do not fall off when touched.
  • Cut off the bottom two inches of the trunk before placing the tree in the stand.
  • Water your tree daily, especially in the first week. A six-foot tree needs about a gallon of water a day.
    
    
• Set up your tree at a safe distance from all heat sources, including electrical outlets, radiators and portable space heaters.

Avoid Decorating Disasters

Your couch is not a ladder. And your ladder is not as easy to use as you may think. About 500,000 people in the U.S. need medical care for a ladder-related injury each year. Protect yourself with these tips from the American Ladder Institute when you decorate your home this season.

• Stay off the ladder if you feel tired or dizzy or tend to lose your balance.
• If your ladder has loose or missing parts or leans to one side, throw it away.
• Wear clean, slip-resistant shoes.
• Never stand on the top rung or step.
• Place your ladder on firm, level ground.
• Have someone “spot” you and steady the ladder when you use it.

Keep Your Kitchen Safe

Holiday baking and entertaining are time-honored traditions for many families. Here are a few ways to keep your kitchen accident-free and protect guests from food-related illnesses.

• Wash your hands and work surfaces before, during and after preparing food.
• Keep raw meat, poultry, seafood and eggs separated while you cook.
• Use a food thermometer to ensure you cook food to the correct internal temperature. This will kill harmful germs.
• When serving, keep hot foods hot. Use chafing dishes, slow cookers, pressure cookers or steam tables. Keep cold food cold with ice bowls, coolers or insulated dishes.
• If guests serve themselves, put smaller portions on the serving table. Keep back-ups in the fridge to refill when levels get low.
• Have plenty of serving utensils available so guests are less likely to touch food with their hands.

Prevent Holiday Shopping Hazards

Scammers, hackers and petty thieves can take all the fun out of holiday shopping. Protect your purchases and your bank account, whether you are shopping from the convenience of home or at a local mall.

Online shopping tips include:

• Always use trusted websites. Look for “HTTPS” in the website address before entering personal information.
• Create strong, unique passwords. A password manager app can help you keep track of them.
• Check your banking account online regularly to catch suspicious charges.
• Avoid deals that seem too good to be true.
• Never click suspicious links or provide personal information to a website or person you don’t know.

“In-person” shopping tips include:

• Lock valuables and purchased gifts in your car trunk.
• Keep receipts in your wallet, purse or pocket. If someone snatches your shopping bags with receipts inside, they can quickly return the items for cash.
• Avoid carrying large amounts of cash.
• Only bring credit cards you plan to use.

Travel Over the River and Through the Woods — Safely

Whether traveling across town or further afield, keep yourself safe on the roads.

• Prepare your car for cold weather if you’re headed north.
• Don’t drink and drive. And don’t let others drive when they’ve been drinking.
• Wear a seat belt whenever you drive or ride in a motor vehicle.
• Always follow car seat safety guidelines by buckling your child in a properly installed car seat, booster seat, or seat belt. Ensure it’s appropriate for their weight, height, and age.

How to Prevent Blood Clots While Traveling

If traveling for more than four hours at a time, protect yourself from blood clots. They can form in your legs any time you sit still in a confined space for an extended period. Be sure to move your legs frequently and get up to walk around when possible.

Don’t Take a Break From Safety This Holiday Season

Checking for frayed wires and watering your Christmas tree aren’t exactly festive holiday activities. But they will help keep your family safe. All of us at Memorial Healthcare wish you a happy, healthy holiday season!

Accidents and illnesses happen, even when you are careful. We are here for you with three urgent care centers in Hollywood, Pembroke Pines, and Hialeah. You’ll get prompt care from board-certified physicians. The clinics offer appointments and walk-in services for minor illnesses and injuries.