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 Staff photo/Katie Yantis: A truck dumps dirt along the Miami and Erie Canal towpath where it crosses Ohio 66. The project will make it easier for those using the towpath to cross Ohio 66.
By KATIE YANTIS
Staff Writer
ST. MARYS — Hiker, bikers and walkers in the region will notice a
difference in a few sections of the Miami and Erie Canal towpath trail
starting this week.
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Holiday tree lights safety |
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Friday, 05 December 2008 |
By MARY BARGDILL
Staff Writer
ST. MARYS — As residents prepare for the holiday season by decorating their homes inside and out, local officials advise them to keep safety in mind.
According to the National Electrical Safety Foundation, more than 12,000 people are treated for falls, cuts and shocks each year from handling decorations such as holiday lights and Christmas trees.
Christmas trees are involved in nearly 300 fires each year in the United States and are responsible for 10 deaths. On average, more than $10 million in property loss and damage is caused by holiday decorations.
Before stringing up the lights — both old and new sets — homeowners should check for cracked or loose sockets, loose connections and exposed wires. Burned out light bulbs should only be replaced with bulbs that have the same wattage.
"The wiring and the socket that the bulb was in, it's built for only so much power and if you put in a higher wattage bulb it could be a fire hazard," Midwest Electric Customer Service Manager Matt Berry said.
A common mistake many make while decorating is connecting too many sets of lights. No more than three standard-size sets of lights should be used on a single extension cord.
"You wouldn't want to have more than one extension cord," Berry said. “That's a shock issue or potentially a fire issue as well."
Christmas tree lights should be turned off when not at home or sleeping. For those who tend to forget to turn off the lights, use a timer.
Keep the Christmas tree out of high traffic areas in the home and make sure it does not block doorways.
All decorative lights should have a safety label that reads UL listed or UL approved.
If using decorative lights outside, the labels should be checked to insure they are certified for outdoor use.
Avoid overhead power lines when decorating outdoors, Berry said, referring to Bryan R. Davis, a 42-year-old Indiana man who died last month.
"Just a case in Indiana, there was a gentleman killed," Berry said. "He was out decorating with Christmas lights and his ladder made contact with a power line."
Outdoor lights should be fastened securely to the sides of the building and shrubbery to protect from wind damage.
While insulated staples may be used to hold the lights firmly in place, never use metal nails or tacks as they could damage the protective insulation covering the wires.
The lights might also run through plastic hooks, which can be found at local hardware stores.
"Whatever you use, just make sure you don't cut through the outside covering," Berry said.
The third prong on a three-prong plug is a safety feature which grounds the electricity to protect individuals from electrical shock.
"If there's a fault on that circuit, it will use the third prong for the pass of the current," Berry said. "Because a lot of decorations have two prongs, they cut off that third prong, and people need to know if they do that they're taking away a safety feature."
Outdoor electric lights and other electric decorations should be plugged into circuits protected by ground fault circuit interrupters, or GFCIs.
Portable outdoor GFCIs may be purchased where electrical supplies are sold. However, permanent GFCIs should only be installed by qualified electricians.
"Anywhere water is present, they (GFCIs) protect the user if there is a fault on the circuit," Berry said. "When you have these lights outside, they're exposed to rain and snow."
Plastic safety covers should be used on unused outlets. All electrical cords should be kept out of reach of small children and pets.
St. Marys Fire Chief Ken Cline also gave safety advice for the holiday season.
Freshly cut Christmas trees should be watered regularly. Artificial trees should be fire retardant. All trees, live or artificial, should be placed at least three feet away from fireplaces and radiators.
"Not only the sources of heat but you wouldn't want to set a live tree in front of a heat vent, such as a heater duct, that's just going to dry the tree out," Cline said.
Burning candles during the holidays is also a cause for concern, Cline said.
"It's a season for candles," he said. "Over the last few years, there have been a lot of fires in Ohio as a result of candles. If you're going to go out — blow out. If you're leaving that room, blow the candle out before you leave the room."
It is also the time of year when there is a greater risk of carbon monoxide poisoning, Cline said.
"With a gas heater, if the fuel doesn't burn properly it starts to deplete the oxygen," he said. "If you're using a device in the home that's not vented, that will deplete the oxygen. Every home should have a carbon monoxide detector unless (it is) an all electric home."
Cline also stressed the importance of having a working smoke detector.
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Last Updated ( Wednesday, 10 December 2008 )
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