经过Tom Kiurski
The winter holidays are a time for celebrating, and that probably means more cooking, more home decorating, more family gatherings, and in increased risk of fire due to candles and heating equipment for the families you protect. While this is a memorable time of year for many, keeping families safe has to be high on our list of priorities. Your community members may celebrate a number of different holidays during the end of the calendar year, but a few minutes spent on safety can go a long way.
有家庭每年检查炉子，以确保在未来的寒冷月份进行正常运行。壁炉也应该每年清洁，假日包装和常青树不应该在壁炉中烧毁，因为这样做可能会导致烟囱过早的烟囱堆积。火灾时，壁炉应该在火灾燃烧时有火花避雷器屏幕。只有在房间内负责的成人时，才能运行壁炉和便携式空间加热器等加热源。保持易燃材料从热源三英尺处。
蜡烛放出温暖的光芒，但再次，负责任的成年人必须监督他们的使用。人们不应该用蜡烛装饰树木。将蜡烛远离可能的旅行路径，或者在其中的草稿，通风口或空气电流可能吹入像窗帘的可燃物中。蜡烛应该在坚固的支架上，可以持有大量的蜡，他们不应该在卧室里使用。向国家消防协会（NFPA）报告的十四个蜡烛火灾发生在12月，这几乎是月平均值的两倍。蜡烛的使用增加仍然是美国消防部门的问题。
2002年，美国家庭中有240棵圣诞树火灾，导致23人死亡，12名伤害和1140万美元的直接财产损失。这些包括真实的和人造树。在装饰树时，您的公民应该只使用列出和批准的电灯，并务必根据其额定目的（室内灯室内等）使用它们。在使用前仔细检查用于磨损和裂缝的灯。不要过载延长线。教你家庭不要在地毯下运行延长线，或从钉子上悬挂它们。在离开家之前拔掉树灯或夜晚睡觉。保持活雨水良好浇水，并使用被列为阻燃剂的人造树。不要放置他们可能阻挡出口的树木。
Have your customers keep an eye on the stove during the holiday season. With more people visiting, cooks can become easily distracted. Urge cooks to use timers, wear aprons, and to carry a spatula with them to remind them if food is on or in the stove. Keep kids well away, and try to cook on back burners, where chances of being burned are lessened. Keep pot handles turned in, so people will not bump and spill pans on the stove. Keep the lid to the pan nearby so you can smother a grease fire should one start, and always have a fire extinguisher near the kitchen ; make sure you know how to use it.
If overnight guests are part of the holiday plan, make sure they know the fire escape plan, including family meeting place. Encourage families to check smoke alarms and be sure to have a working carbon monoxide detector in the home as well. Be sure they know they must have both devices, since they alert for different gases. Make sure their alarms are tested monthly, and kept clean and equipped with fresh batteries at all times.
粗心的吸烟仍然是一个严重的假日火灾危险。确保在丢弃之前完全熄灭所有香烟和比赛。将所有屁股放在金属容器中，或用水湿润，然后扔掉。在晚上睡觉前检查闷烧的香烟屁股和余烬。
Just a few minutes spent on safety items in your home can pay great dividends this holiday season. Relax, enjoy the season, stay safe, and I hope you and your citizens have a fire safe holiday.
Tom Kiuarski是Livonia（MI）火灾和救援的中尉，护理人员和消防安全教育主任。他的书，创建火灾安全社区：消防安全教育者指南(Fire Engineering, 1999) is a guide for bringing the safety message to all segments of the community efficiently and economically.
