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To help make sure your holidays don’t go from merry to scary, remember these holiday safety tips: 25652002

• Keep decorations at least three feet away from heat sources – especially those with an open flame, like fireplaces and candles. And, remember to blow out candles when leaving the room or going to sleep.

• Remember, the best decorations are safe decorations. When decorating, make sure not to run cords under rugs or furniture, out of windows, or across walkways and sidewalks.

• Never connect more than three strings of incandescent lights together.

• Exercise caution when decorating near power lines. Keep yourself and your equipment at least ten feet from power lines.

• Inspect decorations and discard any that are damaged or worn out.

• Have a natural Christmas tree? Water it to keep it fresh and safe. Real trees can dry up and turn into kindling in no time at all. Get rid of the tree after Christmas. Dried-out trees are a fire hazard and should not be left in homes or garages.

• Always turn off decorations when leaving home and when sleeping. Most deadly fires happen while people are asleep.

• Be mindful of how you are using electrical outlets. When using extension cords or adapters that add receptacles, consider having a qualified electrician add more outlets to your home. Extension cords are a common cause of home fires. Avoid overloading electrical outlets with too many decorations or electrical devices. They can overheat and cause a fire.

• Only use electronics in dry areas. As tempting as it is, you just can’t decorate your aquarium with icicle lights.

• Remember that phones and tablets should stay on nightstands. We all love falling asleep to the muffled crooning of Bing Crosby and Michael Bublé singing our holiday favorites, but overheated electronics under pillows and blankets are dangerous.

• If you’re using a space heater, switch it off before leaving the room. It only takes seconds for a fire to start if a space heater tips over or comes in contact with something combustible, like a blanket or curtains.

• Consider upgrading to Arc-Fault Circuit Interrupter breakers or outlets in your home. It is estimated that half of the electrical fires that occur every year could be prevented by AFCIs. All electrical upgrades should be completed by a qualified electrician.

Consider implementing these holiday safety tips to keep your holidays merry, safe, and bright.