SAFETY TIPS

SAFETY TIPS
Holiday helpers
Know where your fire extinguisher is and don't be afraid to use it, says Don Hutchison, Cardinal Joint Fire District deputy chief. Here are some of his other tips to keep your holiday safer:
Make sure your extinguisher's pressure gauge is in the green zone. Even if it hasn't been used, it can leak over time, he said.
Turn you extinguisher upside down a few times to keep the powder loose. This should be done once a year.
If you're using a turkey cooker, put the turkey in while the oil is cold, he said, to make sure that you're leaving several inches of room at the top. That will prevent the oil from boiling over.
Add water to your live Christmas tree every day. Bad wiring will set a dry tree on fire.
Fireplaces need to be cleaned and inspected every year.
Don't overload your electrical circuits. If a breaker trips, you're either overloaded or you have a short, he said.
Have a smoke alarm on every level of your house, and make sure the batteries are good.