Keep Your Home and Family Safe This Christmas in Harrison

HARRISON, NY — The holiday season is here, which means it's time for many Hudson Valley families to pick out a Christmas tree.

If you go with a live tree, make sure you take some easy precautions to keep you and your family safe and stop your festive decoration from becoming a fire hazard.

According to statistics from the National Fire Prevention Agency, there are about 250 house fires each year in the United States caused by Christmas trees, and of those, one-third are caused by electrical problems. A heat source too close to the tree causes one in every five of these fires.

It can take only a few seconds for fire to fully engulf a room if a Christmas tree comes in contact with an ignition source, such as a frayed wire or candle.

The NFPA also says that people are more likely to die in a fire caused by a Christmas tree than in other house fires.

Watch: How to Keep Your Holiday Safe

To make sure your family stays safe, the NFPA offers these tips:

• Choose a tree with fresh, green needles that do not fall off when touched.
• Before placing the tree in the stand, cut 1 to 2 inches from the base of the trunk.
• Make sure the tree is at least 3 feet away from any heat source, such as fireplaces, radiators, candles, heat vents or lights.
• Make sure the tree is not blocking an exit.
• Use lights that have the label of an independent testing laboratory. Some lights are only for indoor or outdoor use.
• Replace any string of lights with worn or broken cords or loose bulb connections. Connect no more than three strands of mini string sets and a maximum of 50 bulbs for screw-in bulbs. Read manufacturer’s instructions for the number of LED strands to connect.
• Never use lit candles to decorate the tree.
• Always turn off Christmas tree lights before leaving home or going to bed.
• Dispose of the tree immediately after Christmas or when it is dry. Dried-out trees are a fire hazard and should not be left in the home or garage, or placed outside against the home.

Written by Alex Costello (Patch Staff).

Photo: Patch