When you’re gathering with family and friends during these next few days fire safety may be the last thing on your mind. But should a fire occur, it can be a devastating event that impacts not only your quality of life but even your successful home ownership.  With lots of guests in your home, extra decorations, people smoking, enjoying cocktails, and sometimes involving fireworks in the equation your chance for a fire grows with each element that you add.

Let’s look at some tips for entertaining safely in your home over the next week when guests are enjoying themselves in your home.

1.    If you serve alcoholic beverages, be sure to have plenty of foods that are high in protein such as cheese and nuts.  This type of food slows the absorption of alcohol into the circulatory system and helps prevent over-indulgence
2.    A couple of hours before your party is to end, stop serving alcoholic beverages and insist on coffee and soda instead.  You’ll want to also watch your guest or have the bartender that you’ve hired notice when someone has had enough and needs to be switched to another beverage.
3.    Provide plenty of ashtrays where guests can extinguish cigarettes and cigars if you permit smoking in your home.  If guests are encouraged to smoke outside, be sure to make arrangements for cigarette butts that may still be smoldering after they are put out.
4.    Make sure that the smoke alarms are working properly in your home so that should a fire begin you will be notified immediately with a loud warning siren.  You should be checking these devices on a weekly basis during the winter months to assure your family, friends, and guests of a safe environment in your home.
5.    If you decide to use fireworks as part of your celebration make sure that you purchase them from a reputable dealer and that they meet the proper safety standards.  Follow all instructions for igniting them and keep a bucket of water or the garden hose nearby.  You’ll want to protect the children in the crowd and keep them a good safe distance from the lighting area.
6.    Keep the decorations in your home away from open flames such as candles to avoid a house fire.  Never leave your candles unattended and keep burning flames out of the path of guests moving around in your home so that they won’t be overturned.
7.    Have your fireplace inspected at the beginning of each burning season to prevent chimney fires.  If you have gas logs, make sure that all parts are working properly and that they have been cleaned for optimum performance.

Christmas and New Year’s Eve Celebrations are the most wonderful time of year; just make sure that you pay attention to all of the little things that can cause pain and heartache if a fire should occur.