Government issues safety tips for holiday decorating

<br>WASHINGTON (AP) _ A festive holiday season should also be a safe one, the government said Thursday, warning of hazards including dry Christmas trees and unsafe lights. <br><br>Emergency rooms treat

Thursday, December 5th 2002, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

WASHINGTON (AP) _ A festive holiday season should also be a safe one, the government said Thursday, warning of hazards including dry Christmas trees and unsafe lights.

Emergency rooms treat about 12,500 people each year for falls, cuts and shocks related to holiday lights, decorations and Christmas trees, the Consumer Product Safety Commission said. There also are 11,600 candle-related fires each year, resulting in 150 deaths and $173 million in property damage.

``Sometimes people are having such a nice time during the holidays that they forget to extinguish candles,'' said Hal Stratton, chairman of the safety commission. ``Always put out lit candles before leaving a room or going to bed. Always keep burning candles within sight.''

The government's holiday safety tips include:

_When tree shopping, look for fresh trees or artificial ones labeled ``fire resistant.'' At home, place trees away from doorways, fireplaces and radiators. Decorate trees with flame-resistant materials that don't contain lead. Never use lighted candles on trees.

_Use only lights proven safe by a recognized testing laboratory. Replace burned-out bulbs promptly and throw out lights with damaged wires or loose connections.

_Make sure outdoor lights are certified for outdoor use and fasten them securely to trees or house walls, keeping them away from power lines. To hold lights in place, string them through hooks or use insulated staples, not nails or tacks. Never pull or tug lights to remove them.

_Turn off all holiday lights before going to bed or leaving the house to avoid fires. Never use electric lights on a metallic tree, which can become charged with electricity.

_Plug all outdoor electric decorations into circuits with ground fault circuit interrupters to avoid potential shocks.

_Avoid decorations that resemble food or candy or are sharp, breakable or have parts a child could swallow.

_Don't burn wrapping papers in the fireplace. The wrappings might ignite suddenly and cause a flash fire.

_Keep ``fire salts'' away from children. The salts, which produce colored flames when thrown on wood fires, can cause intense stomach pain and vomiting if eaten.

_When decorating with spun glass ``angel hair,'' wear gloves to avoid skin irritation. Follow directions carefully to avoid breathing problems while using artificial snow sprays.