By Bob Kowalski
rkowalski@neighborsgo.com

Residential holiday decorations are an expression of individual tastes, but caution should be universal, say local officials.

The Lewisville Fire Department warns against using indoor-only lights outside. Also, lights should be inspected to ensure they have no broken sockets, cut or torn cords or frayed wiring.

“From a safety standpoint, the most common problem is electrical in nature,” Scott Thompson, fire chief for The Colony, said in an e-mail. “People place too much of a load on circuits, use under rated or damaged extension cords, or the light strings themselves are damaged.”

Thompson also urged residents to follow the manufacturers’ recommendations on the light cords, particularly about the number of strands that may be linked together safely. And cords should never be stapled or nailed to surfaces.

Lewisville recommends that outside light sockets be pointed down to avoid moisture buildup and that electrical connectors be above the ground. The city also suggests that when multiple strands are joined that a plastic bag should be wrapped around the connection and secured with Teflon tape.

Thompson added that extension cords should not be placed in high-traffic areas, or someplace that could damage the cords.

Both cities emphasized fire safety regarding Christmas trees, particularly live indoor trees, which are susceptible to fires from overheated bulbs or faulty cords. Lewisville recommends artificial trees labeled fire-resistant.

When purchasing live trees, be sure that it is fresh with needles hard to pull from branches and a trunk sticky with resin.

Residents should ensure smoke detectors are operational with fresh batteries. “A working smoke detector will keep a small fire from becoming big and they do save lives,” Thompson said.

“It is smoke that kills people in a fire, not necessarily the fire itself.”

MORE INFO
– Lewisville Fire Department, 972-219-3580, cityoflewisville.com.

– Flower Mound Fire Department, 972-874-6270, flower-mound.com/fire

– The Colony Fire Department, 972-625-3944, the-colony.tx.us.

– Highland Village Fire Department, 972-317-0890, highlandvillage.org.

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Bob Kowalski is the Lewisville/Flower Mound/The Colony neighborsgo editor and can be reached at rkowalski@neighborsgo.com or 214-977-8487.