Police and fire departments give tips on how to stay safe this holiday season

SALT LAKE CITY — The holiday season can be a stressful time of year. But it could be a lot more stressful if a house fire starts, someone steals your mailed packages, or you receive an injury from a snowblower. 

Fire departments and police departments are giving the public tips on how to stay safe throughout the holiday season.

Snowblower safety

Ever had a snowblower jam up when clearing snow? Syracuse City Fire Department said in a Facebook post that the best thing to do is turn the snowblower off when it’s jammed.

The fire department said the next step is to clear any debris in the snowblower using a solid object, not your hand.

Keeping package thieves away

Ordering anything in the mail for Christmas? Sandy City Police Department shared some tips on Facebook explaining how to keep those packages safe.

SPD says one of the best things you can do is ask the postal office to hold your package for pickup. The police department said this is especially important if you are on vacation or not going to be home when the package arrives.

Another tip the SPD has is to use the United State Postal Service’s special services. This can include asking for a signature confirmation and customizing your delivery.

Electrical safety

According to the Duchesne Fire Department’s Facebook page, a lot can go wrong if a person is not careful with heating or electrical equipment.

“Almost one-third of home Christmas tree fires are caused by electrical problems,” the DFD said in a Facebook post.

The fire department asked the public to take a good look at the lights you put up for Christmas. They asked that people throw lights away if they have “frayed or pinched wires.”

Although not fun for most people, the fire department asked that people also look at the light’s manufacturing instructions. Those instructions will tell you how many light strands can safely connect together.

Keeping warm while staying safe

When it comes to your Christmas tree, DFD said to keep it at least three feet away from heat sources. The fire department said that includes space heathers, fire places and radiators.

“More than 1 in every 5 Christmas tree fires were caused by a heat source too close to a tree,” the fire department said in a Facebook post.

According to another Facebook DFD Facebook post, the three feet rule stays the same for anything. 

“Keep anything that can burn at least three feet away from any heat source,” the Facebook post said.

According to the DFD, only one heat producing appliance should be plugged into an electrical outlet at a time.

“One in every seven home fires and one in every five home fire deaths involves heating equipment,” a DFD Facebook post said.

Fireplaces and stoves

The DFD said in a Facebook post that it’s important to let ashes from a fireplace cool down. Those ashes should then be put in a metal container and kept at least 10 feet away from a house or building of any sort.

The fire department also said to have a professional clean and inspect chimney’s and vents yearly.

Carbon monoxide can also be a health hazard linked to fire places and wood stoves.

“Open a window to help circulate and reduce carbon monoxide exposure when using a wood stove or fireplace,” another DFD Facebook post said.

Staying safe this holiday, and any day, includes making sure to install and test carbon monoxide detectors once a month, the DFD said in a Facebook post.

Kennedy Camarena is a digital content producer for KSL NewsRadio. 

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