Safety experts recommend always reading the box when you buy Christmas lights. It will tell you how many strings are safe to connect together.
"If the lights are old and they don't have the box anymore, the standard is don't do any more than three.”
Fire Captain Ron Omernick says many people don't realize the decorations they use could easily spark a fire, but Omnerick says all you have to do is look at the evidence to realize that it can happen to anyone.
“According to the Consumer Product Safety Commission, more than 12,000 people each year will visit their local ER from injuries they get from Christmas lights, Christmas trees and holiday candles.”
The biggest fire hazard during the holiday season is your Christmas tree.
"During the Christmas season, one of the best things you can do to stay safe is to make sure that when you buy your Christmas tree, that you have a freshly cut Christmas tree."
And once you bring it home, cut the bottom inch off the trunk. That will help keep the moisture in. Even if you are playing it safe, Omernick says always remember the 30 second rule just in case.
"In other words, if the fire starts right in front of me, right now, I've got 30 seconds to put that fire out with the fire extinguisher, and if I can't then I need to call 9-1-1 and get out of the property."
