Holiday Decorating

11/29/2012 (Updated 11/30/2012 12:01:24 AM)

'Tis the season for holiday lights, but how do you prevent them from becoming fire hazards? 

According to the National Fire Protection Association holiday lights are associated with 150 house fires each year.
So how do you prevent these lights from becoming these?

Will Goodrich, the Assistant Manager of Johnson City's Home Depot says it's important to deck the halls, using the right equipment. 

"If they are hanging outside lighting decorations that are in the snow or water, that they use outdoor equipment," says NFPA reprsentative Will Goodrich. He says be careful of overloading extension cords.

"A lot of extension cords, interior ones, unless you buy better quality may only be able to handle 10 amps and you put more than that on that circuit you could overheat the cord even have the possibility of a fire," says Goodrich.

And for anyone with a real tree, Goodrich says it's important to keep them well-watered and away from heat sources to prevent fires.

The Johnson City Home Depot will be donating fifteen hundred fire detectors to the Johnson City Fire Department to ensure families stay safe this holiday season.