Keeping holiday safe

Keeping holiday safe

\ means taking time Tis the season of the year when newspaper pages are filled with articles and editorials cautioning holiday revelers • against drinking and driving. We join our colleagues in that plea, but we also urge our r readers to take time and care to keep the holidays safe in - other ways as well. Drinking and driving is a proven killer during the holidays, but it is not the only danger lurking ‘ about the Christmas cheer. As families decorate their homes for the holidays, take , time to make sure the decorations are safe as well as l beautiful. Don’t overload electrical outlets with plugs for the holiday lights, and resist the temptation to run extension j* cords under the rugs to reach those out of the way places. When buying a cut Christmas tree, select one with plenty of moisture left in it. Give it a good shake: if lots of ■■ needles fall off, it has begun to dry out. Make sure the tree is located away from space heaters, t radiators, woodstoves, fireplaces and other sources of heat. It • will last longer in a cool place, and the danger of fire is “■ reduced. Those lights on the Christmas tree are beautiful to look . at, but turn them off when you leave the house and when the { family goes to bed for the night. Lights, especially the large one, can generate a suprising amount of heat, which could \ cause a fire. And, never use real candles on a Christmas tree. Finally, when driving, watch out for the other guy. All 1 too often, people are preoccupied with their holiday plans and • their minds are not behind the wheel where they should be. ' Driving defensively may add a few minutes to the trip, but it may mean the difference between a happy holiday and a ’ memory of misery.