PHCSI wants you and your loved ones to be safe this holiday season so many more can be enjoyed. Holiday Greetings and Blessings for a Wonderful New Year!

PHCSI offers these tips from the United States Fire Administration to help keep the holidays bright and safe:

Candle safety tips:
1. Consider using battery-operated flameless candles instead of wax candles.
2. If you do use traditional candles, place them in sturdy metal, glass or ceramic holders where they cannot be easily knocked down.
3. Keep candles out of the reach of children and pets.
4. Never allow children to play with matches, lighters or candles.
5. Don’t put candles on your Christmas tree or approach the tree with a burning candle.

Holiday lights safety tips:
1. Inspect holiday lights each year for frayed wires and other problems. Discard and replace damaged strings of lights.
2. Don’t overload electrical sockets. Never link more than three light strands unless the directions indicate it is safe to do so.
3. Check the wires on your lights periodically. If the wire feels warm, remove and discard the string of lights.
4. Turn off your holiday lights when you leave the house or go to bed.

Christmas tree safety tips:
1. Cut natural trees at a 45-degree angle to allow for maximum water absorption.
2. Select a natural tree that is fresh. If the tree “rains” needles when you bounce the trunk on the ground, select another tree.
3. Position the tree well away from sources of heat, including heat vents and fireplaces.
4. Keep natural tree stands filled with water at all times.
5. Don’t leave a natural tree up for more than two weeks and discard the tree immediately if it becomes dry.
6. Use only non-flammable decorations on the tree, and select artificial trees that are labeled “fire-retardant.”