Thursday, March 28, 2024
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Tips for Keeping Your Holidays Safe

The holidays are a festive and joyful time of the year and we at GreatFlorida Insurance want to ensure you and your family enjoy a safe holiday season. Along with the celebration can come potentially hazardous situations.

According to the U.S. Fire Administration, home cooking fires occur on Thanksgiving Day more than any other day of the year. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) reports that 14,000 people were treated in hospital emergency rooms around the country for falls, cuts and shocks related to holiday decorating. Listed below are tips for keeping your holiday season merry, peaceful and safe.

Cooking

“Fire, metal, oil and turkey are glorious when in harmony, but their power is unrelenting in careless hands,” William Shatner for State Farm. The lure of fried turkey is an irresistible culinary delight, but if not prepared carefully it can turn into a calamity.ThanksgivingFamilyRetro-GraphicsFairy1

  • Keep the fryer at least 10 feet away from your home and never cook in the garage or on a wood deck.
  • Place the fryer on a level surface
  • Keep children and pets a safe distance from the fryer
  • Monitor the temperature and use caution when touching the fryer, the lid and handles can be very hot.
  • Do not use too much oil
  • Make sure the turkey is properly thawed, extra water can cause oil to bubble fiercely and spill over.
  • Keep a fire extinguisher accessible
  • When cooking inside…
  • Never leave your stove unattended while cooking
  • Keep anything that could melt or catch fire away from burners

 

Candles

Candles are paramount in celebrating Advent, Chanukah and Kwanzaa. They contribute nicely to the warmth and ambiance of the season, but in recent years they have been responsible for $173 million in property loss according to the CPSC.

  • Try replacing traditional candles with battery operated selections.Florida Home Insurance Safety
  • Keep them visible and extinguish them before going out or bedtime.
  • Place them on a stable surface, so they won’t get knocked over easily
  • Keep candles away from greenery or other flammable materials.
  • Don’t leave children or pets unattended around an open flame.

 

Lights

  • Dispose of any lights that are broken or cracked, and any with loose connections, frayed and bare wires.Florida Home Insurance Safety
  • Make sure your lights have been safety tested.
  • Turn them off before you go to bed, consider placing them on a timer, it is more convenient
  • Fasten outdoor lights securely to trees, house or another firm support to prevent wind damage.
  • Stay away from power or feeder lines leading to utility poles in older homes.
  • Certify outdoor lights and make sure they are plugged into circuits protected by ground fault circuit interrupters, (GFCI’s).
  • Consider switching to LED lights, they run cooler and save energy.

 

Trees

  • When purchasing an artificial tree, make sure it is labeled, “fire resistant.”Florida Home Insurance Safety
  • When selecting a tree, make sure it is fresh, it should be fragrant and green, the needles should be flexible and not break off when you grab them.
  • Poinsettias are everywhere during the holidays but they are poisonous when ingested, so keep them away from small children and pets.
  • Check the batteries in your smoke detector before the holidays kick off.
  • During this holiday season we want to express gratitude to our customers and those who have made GreatFlorida Insurance a success. It is our honor and pleasure to serve you and your families. May peace, joy, hope and happiness be yours during this holiday season and throughout the new year.
Dustyn Shroff
Dustyn Shroffhttp://www.greatflorida.com
Vice President at GreatFlorida Insurance

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