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MAY YOUR HOLIDAY SEASON BE MERRY…AND SAFE!

LIFESTYLE EXPERT SHARES SIMPLE FIRE SAFETY TIPS FOR THE HOLIDAYS

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BACKGROUND:
Now that the holiday season is upon us, many families are adding decorations to their homes and spending a lot of time in the kitchen prepping holiday meals. While this is a festive time of year, it’s also important to remember to celebrate safely. 

Lifestyle Expert Martin Amado shares tips for staying safe while decorating and cooking during the holiday season.  Keeping just a few simple precautions in mind such as updating your smoke alarm and staying aware while hanging holiday lights will help you and your family enjoy this joyous season!

Some of Martin’s safety tips will include:

  • CHECK AND UPDATE YOUR SMOKE ALARMS: The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) recommends that smoke alarms be installed on every level of the home, including the basement, inside each bedroom and in the main corridors. Viewers now have access to the latest 8th Edition standards smoke alarm technology certified under UL 217. 8th Edition alarms are tested to better detect fires in homes built and furnished with modern construction materials – where fires can spread more quickly than in older homes and can better detect nuisance alarms, like non-fire smoke from cooking.
  • TO TREE OR NOT TO TREE? Christmas tree fires are not common; however they are much more likely to be deadly than most other fires. To ensure the holidays remain safe for everybody, keep the tree at least three feet away from heat sources such as fireplaces, radiators and vents.
  • CREATE AMBIANCE WHILE STAYING SAFE: According to a 2020 national American Red Cross survey, nearly one-third of us have left the room or fallen asleep while burning candles. If you must use candles for festive ambiance, never leave them burning unattended, place them away from the reach of children and pets and extinguish them when leaving a room or going to bed. Place candles away from flammable holiday items such as trees and decorations to prevent unexpected emergencies.

SIMPLE RULES WHILE HANGING LIGHTS: A report from the NFPA revealed that nearly two-thirds of fires involving decorative lights are due to electrical failures or malfunctions. Use no more than three standard size sets of lights per single extension cord because additional ones can overheat circuits and start a fire. Check strands of lights for loose connections, broken or cracked sockets or frayed or bare wires, and dispose of any damaged sets.

For more information, visit: www.firstalert.com

MORE ABOUT MARTIN AMADO:
Martin Amado is a TV personality, interior decorator, lifestyle expert, and author of One-Day Room Makeovers. He is currently a TV host/design expert on ION Television, a leading U.S. general entertainment network, a home contributor on Acceso Total on WSCV Telemundo 51 and NBC’s 6 In The Mix airing in South Florida, and nationally on Telemundo’s En Casa Con Telemundo. Upcoming projects include a DIY series for CreateTV.Com.  Prior to that, local viewers became familiar with his work on the home makeover segment Room for Improvement that aired on WSVN 7 News, FOX affiliate, for over 11 years; and most recently on SoFlo Home Project on WPLG Local 10, ABC affiliate, which he hosted for almost four years.  In addition to his experience in the general market as a host/designer for HGTV (Home & Garden Network) on shows such as Small Space, Big Style and Decorating Cents, Martin has worked on numerous Spanish-language media platforms airing nationally in the United States and throughout Latin America including Telemundo’s morning program, Un Nuevo Día. He was also the lead designer on Decorando Contigo that aired for five seasons on Galavisión. His decorating segments have been featured on Univision’s Despierta América, TeleFutura’s Escándalo TV, and on Utilísima/FOXLife program’s Tu Vida Más Simple and Hogar Express. His TV journey also includes being an on-air guest expert for the HGTV Home brand on HSN (Home Shopping Network), as well as being one of the original hosts on HSE (Home Shopping En Español).

Interview provided by First Alert