Avoid Holiday Safety Risks

It's something we think will never happen to us, but for Milwaukee's Fire Department holiday red is often their engine and lights rushing to your burning home.

Some of the main reasons fires start this time of year are the very things you decorate with, like live trees. Milwaukee's Deputy Fire Chief, Terry Lintonen says, make sure the tree isn't dry when you buy it and water it.

Deputy Fire Chief Lintonen says, "Simply shake the tree, if a lot of needles drop off find a different one."

But the tree isn't the only risk, the lights on the tree can also cause a fire. Lintonen says another fire source is when people accidentally use outdoor lights inside. He says to make sure you check the package when you buy your lights and pick indoor lights.

Deputy Fire Chief Lintonen says "A lot of those are LED lights so there is less of a power draw."

Of course as you heat up your home for company, also make sure you get your furnace checked by a certified technician. Plus, space heaters can be higher risk.

"If you do use space heaters make sure those stay a good distance from the tree."

And that it should have its own power source.

On top of that, Deputy Chief Lintonen says you should make sure all your decorations are plugged into a power strip that's not overloaded.

"The fires that we get in the winter a lot of them are due to overloading of the circuits because of the holiday."

Follow these tips and your Christmas will be merry and bright for all the right reasons.