Fire Safety Guidelines Issued for Holiday Decorating and Entertaining

<p><em>Woodstock Community News| Woodstock, GA</em></p><p>As Woodstock residents hang lights and prepare for seasonal gatherings, the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) has released vital safety guidelines to reduce the risk of home fires. While the winter holidays are a time for celebration, officials warn that they also bring a heightened risk for fire incidents, particularly involving candles and electrical decorations.</p><p>According to NFPA data, more than one-third of home decoration fires are started by candles. To mitigate this risk, residents are urged to keep lit candles away from decorations and other combustible items, and to keep them out of reach of children and pets. The guidance emphasizes that candles must be blown out and all light strings turned off before leaving the house or going to bed.</p><p>For those decorating their homes in Towne Lake, Downtown, and surrounding neighborhoods, proper equipment maintenance is essential. Residents should replace any light strings that have worn or broken cords and use clips, rather than nails, to hang lights to prevent cord damage. It is also critical to verify whether lights are rated for indoor or outdoor use, as they are rarely interchangeable.</p><p>The safety alert also addresses holiday entertaining. Officials recommend staying in the kitchen while cooking on the stovetop and keeping matches and lighters locked in high cabinets. For households hosting guests, the NFPA suggests testing smoke alarms, sharing the home fire escape plan with visitors, and providing deep ashtrays for smokers outside to ensure cigarette butts are fully extinguished.</p>