Press Release: Outdoor Decorations

December 10 – The holidays are seeing more and more homes decorated with a variety of lights and other devices. The Wilton Fire Department hopes that as you decorate your home for the holidays you will bear in mind the following basic safety tips.

There are several things to consider when placing decorative lights on a structure. These lights are electrical; they draw a certain amount of power per string. Follow the manufacturer’s instructions regarding the number of strings that can be hooked together in one line. Use UL-listed equipment designed for outdoor use. Use only equipment and bulbs which are in good condition! Inspect light strings to make sure you have no faulty sockets, bare wires, or breaks in the wire.

Most modern light sets for exterior lighting are fused. Make sure you have a fuse of the proper type. Fuses are a safety device; removing them or placing a higher amp fuse in their place is an invitation to disaster. Use caution when stringing lights that you don’t punch holes in the light cords with staples, nails or connectors. Use an appropriate extension cord, one which will handle the load you place on it. No one needs a circuit box fire!

Be exceedingly careful when working on a roof. This time of the year dampness can make roofs extremely slippery. Have appropriate clothing and footwear for the job.

Use a ladder. Makeshift devices to get up on the roof are an open invitation to an ambulance ride. Your fire department, as a matter of course, trains extensively with ladders and offers these suggestions. When possible, use two people for the job. Have one person butt the ladder (hold it firmly to the ground) whenever you are working on it. If you are working alone, make sure someone knows you are up there and what you are doing.

Another suggestion, especially if working alone, is to tie the tip of the ladder off to the roof. This prevents sliding, slipping, tipping, etc. Use common sense and don’t get lazy. A common problem is leaning too far. Rather than move the ladder one more time, residents frequently over-balance on the ladder and down they come–or they find themselves hanging from the eaves, hollering for help!

Be wary of overhead power lines, antennas and other objects. When you are on a roof you are probably in an unfamiliar environment and extra caution is necessary.

A beautifully-decorated home is a holiday joy for all those seeing it. Please decorate carefully and make the holiday season fun for yourselves as well.