City of Riverside, California

3900 Main Street • Riverside, CA 92522 • 951-826-5321


	Public Education (951) 826-5384

Christmas Tree Safety
	When buying your Christmas tree, be sure to pick a fresh tree. Be sure your tree has a constant supply of water daily. If your tree dries out, remove it promptly and store it away from your home.
	Be bright about lights! Don’t use lights with worn insulation, broken plugs and loose sockets. They can cause fires, shocks and even electrocution!
	Be careful when hanging several light strings together. You could have an overload situation. Remember all lighting inside and out, should be turned off before going to bed!
	Are the stockings hung by the chimney with care? Be especially careful if there’s a cozy fire going in the fireplace.
	Fireplaces – Keep fireplace fires small, and use a fireplace screen to prevent sparks from flying into the room. Don’t leave children alone in a room with a fireplace fire.
	Central Heating – Have furnace installations and all chimneys inspected once a year (before the heating season begins).
	Space Heaters – Keep away from curtains, bedspreads, and furniture. Make sure children know they could get burned if they touch one.

Smoke Alarms
In the event of a fire, properly installed and maintained smoke alarms will provide an early warning alarm to your household. This alarm could save your own life and those of your loved ones by providing the chance to escape.
	Install smoke alarms on every level of your home. Make sure there is an alarm in or near every sleeping area.
	Follow the manufacturer’s instructions for proper installation.
	Test your smoke alarms at least once a month.
	Replace the batteries in your smoke alarm twice a year, or as soon as the alarm “chirps”, warning that the battery is low.
	Never “borrow” a battery from your smoke alarm.
	Don’t disable smoke alarms even temporarily – you may forget to replace the battery.
	Regularly vacuuming or dusting your smoke alarms will keep them working properly.
	Smoke alarms don’t last forever. Replace your smoke alarms once every 10 years.
	Make sure that everyone in your home can identify and awaken to the sound of the alarm.
	Plan regular fire drills to ensure that everyone knows exactly what to do if the smoke alarm sounds.