Welcome to ESFI's holiday safety website!

Welcome to ESFI's holiday safety website! This site has been developed as a seasonal feature to helps families and communities take steps to prevent the risk of electrical hazards before, during, and after the winter holiday season. Each year, nearly 130,000 fires will be reported in December alone - claiming over 400 lives and causing 1,600 injuries. Tragically, the number of children injured and killed by fires more than doubles during the holiday months.

To increase awareness of the electrical hazards that commonly occur during the winter holiday season, ESFI has created print, audiovisual, and multimedia English- and Spanish-language educational materials that can be customized and are available to be downloaded from our website or provided upon request.

These holiday resources can help you to more easily identify electrical hazards in your home, and protect yourself and your loved ones from electrical dangers this holiday season.

ESFI reminds you enjoy this special time of year by staying safe!


Top Tips for a Safe Holiday Season


Decorating

As the excitement of the season sets in with decorative displays and festive celebrations, people are inadvertently exposed to greater risk of becoming the victim of a fire or electrical accident, such as shock and electrocution.

Quick Stats

An estimated 76% of Americans decorate their homes during the holiday season.
Nearly 130,000 fires will be reported in December alone, claiming over 400 lives and causing more than 1,600 injuries.
Almost 1/4 of all Christmas tree fires are started because the tree was placed too close to a heat source.

Safety Tips

  • Stapling or nailing through cords may damage the wire or insulation and cause a fire or shock.
  • Check packaging to determine the maximum number of strings that may be linked together.
  • Turn off electrical light strings, candles, and decorations before leaving home or going to bed.

Holiday Injuries

While the holidays can be a very enjoyable time, there is good reason to excersie caution.

Quick Stats

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) reports that every year, hospital emergency rooms treat about 12,500 people for injuries such as falls, cuts, and shocks related to holiday lights, electrical decorations, and Christmas trees.
On December 31st and January 1st  alone, there are an average of more than 200 fire-related fatalities and injuries.

Safety Tips

  • Carefully inspect each electrical decoration. Cracked or frayed sockets, loose or bare wires, and loose connections may cause a serious shock or start a fire.
  • To reduce the chance of an electric shock, use a dry, wooden ladder when hanging holiday lights and be sure to stay clear of overhead electrical wires.
  • For added electric shock protection, plug outdoor electric lights and decorations into circuits protected by ground fault circuit interrupters (GFCIs). Portable outdoor GFCIs can be purchased where electrical supplies are sold.

Fire Hazards

The winter holiday season is a prime time for residential fires due to increased energy used to power lighting displays and Christmas trees, as well as the energy used to prepare feasts and host friends and family in your home.

Quick Stats

The number of children killed or injured by fires more than doubles during the holiday months.
Though the majority of homeowners have smoke detectors, 24% have not replaced the batteries within the last two years.
According to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), holiday decorations and Christmas trees account for almost 2,000 fires and cause more than $41 million dollars in property damage each year.

Safety Tips

  • Do not leave a stove unattended. Unattended cooking is the leading cause of home fires in the United States.
  • Select a fresh Christmas tree and keep it in water at all times. Needles on fresh trees should be green and should not fall off easily.
  • Never leave a child alone when cooking or when an electrical appliance is within reach.
  • Maintain holiday lights. Avoid overloading electrical outlets.

Post-Holiday Electrical Safety

Holiday decorations are meant for temporary use. Keeping decorations up for several months can shorten the life span of the product and create serious electric shock and fire hazards. During the first week of January take down, inspect, and store all decorations to make sure that they are safe for use next year.

Quick Stats

According to the NFPA, 13 percent of the home fires attributed to Christmas trees have occurred in January.
The United States Fire Administration (USFA) estimates that approximately 330 residential structure fires occur each winter holiday where decorations are involved in the ignition.

Safety Tips

  • Discard broken or faulty lights.
  • Make sure that electrical cords are in good condition, and are not frayed or cracked.
  • Separate outdoor from indoor decorations, and label accordingly.
  • Inspect ladders for loose or missing screws, hinges, bolts and nuts.
  • Post-holiday sales are a great time to purchase fire extinguishers and smoke detectors.

Holidays and Heat Sources

As the temperatures drop during the winter holiday season, many families use alternative heat sources to help warm their homes. If used improperly, this indoor heating equipment presents increased risk of fire, electric shock, and electrocution.

Quick Stats

The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) estimates that heating equipment was involved in an estimated 53,000 reported home fires in the United States last year.
According to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), more than 25,000 residential fires every year are associated with the use of space or room heaters.
Heating equipment placed too close to flammable materials, including upholstered furniture, clothing, mattresses, and bedding, is the leading factor contributing to home heating fires and deaths.

Safety Tips

  • Keep space heaters at least 3 feet away from any combustible materials such as bedding, clothing, draperies, furniture and rugs.
  • Don't use space heaters in rooms where children are unsupervised. Children may stick their fingers or other objects through the protective guards, causing burns or shock.
  • Do not use space heaters with extension cords. Instead, plug directly into an outlet on a relatively unburdened circuit.
  • Turn off, unplug, and safety store portable space heaters when not in use.