Precautions keep season merry
Lewis Delavan

Christmas should be a gay time of year, but it's easy to overlook dangers.

An average of 8,700 people are treated at hospital emergency rooms for injuries related to Christmas decorations. More than 400 fires occur annually each yuletide season, causing nearly two dozen deaths, five dozen injuries and millions of dollars of property loss.

Help keep the annual season of Christ's birth jovial with these tips from the federal Consumer Product Safety Commission and the American Academy of Pediatrics.

Youngsters are especially at risk of injury from sharp objects, such as glass ornaments, or from gifts of toys that are inappropriate to their age.

• Trees and other decorations - When buying an artificial tree, look for the "fire-resistant" label. If the tree should catch fire, it should resist burning and extinguish quickly, if the manufacturer didn't lie.

When buying a live tree, check for freshness. Needles should be hard to pull from branches and shouldn't break when bent. The butt of a fresh tree is sticky with resin. When tapped on the ground, a fresh tree should not lose many needles. Choosing an Arkansas-grown tree can help ensure freshness.

Place trees away from firep laces. Because heated rooms dry live trees out rapidly, be sure to keep the stand filled with water. Place the tree out of the way of traffic and do not block doorways.

Cut a few inches off a livetree's trunk to expose fresh wood. This improves water absorption, helping keep the tree from drying out and becoming a fire hazard.

Use only noncombustible or flame-resistant materials to trim a tree. Choose tinsel or artificial icicles of plastic or nonleaded metals. Leaded materials are hazardous if ingested by children.

Never use lit candles on a tree or wreath. Always use nonflammable holders. Place candles out of children's reach.

In homes with small children, avoid sharp and breakable decorations. Keep trimmings with small removable parts out of the reach of children to avoid the child swallowing or inhaling small pieces. Avoid trimmings resembling candy or food.

Wear gloves to avoid eye and skin irritation while decorating with glass "angel hair." Follow directions carefully to avoid lung irritation while decorating with artificial-snow sprays.

• Lights - Always use lights bearing the Underwriters Laboratories label.

Check each set of lights, new or old, for broken or cracked sockets, frayed or bare wires, or loose connections. Throw out damaged sets.

Use no more than three standard sets of lights per single extension cord, unless all connected sets and the cord are designated as heavy-duty sets.

Never use electric lights on a metallic tree. Faulty lights could cause electrocution.

Obviously, be sure lights being placed outside are certified for outdoor use.

Fasten outdoor lights securely to firm supports to prevent wind damage. Use insulated staples or hooks to hold strings in place, not nails or tacks.

Plug all outdoor electric decorations into circuits protected by ground-fault circuit interrupters.

Turn off all lights at bedtime or when away from home.

Fireplaces - Do not burn wrapping papers in the fireplace. A flash fire may result, as wrappings ignite suddenly and burn intensely. I recall a vivid example of this as a Cub Scout. The den mother's son threw paper in the fireplace, to the chagrin of his mother.

Before lighting a fire, remove all greens and other decorations from fireplace area.

Toys - Before buying a toy or allowing a child to play with a gift, read the instructions. Advanced toys could pose a safety hazard for younger children. If the toy is age appropriate, show how to use it properly.

To prevent electrical shocks, don't give children under 10 a toy that must be plugged into an electrical outlet. Buy batteryoperated toys instead.

Children under age 3 can choke on small parts in toys or games. Toys for children under age 3 cannot have parts less than 1 1/4 inches in diameter and 2 1/4 inches long, per CPSC regulation.

Children under age 8 can choke on uninflated or broken balloons. Remove strings and ribbons from toys before giving them to young children.

Watch for pull toys with strings that are more than 12 inches in length. They could strangle babies.

These precautions can help Christmas to be truly festive.

--- Lewis Delavan is news editor of the Saline County Voice.