Holiday Safety is Important

Arlington, VA — The holidays are a wonderful time of year when families gather together and homes are brightened with the glitter of decorations. In the excitement of the season, however, safety is often overlooked. As decorations go up and households entertain friends and family, people unknowingly put themselves at greater risk to fire and electrocution. This holiday safety program, sponsored by the Electrical Safety Foundation International (ESFI), illustrates how families can take a few simple steps to stay safe while enjoying the holiday season.

Ignoring the problem won't make it go away:

Nearly 130,000 fires will be reported in December alone claiming over 400 lives and causing more than 1,600 injuries.
The number of children injured and killed by fires more than doubles during the holiday months.
Yet, more than a third of Americans do not recognize that electrical products are one of the leading causes of home fires.
And while the majority of homeowners have smoke detectors, almost a quarter (24%) have not replaced their batteries within the last 2 years.

In order to combat these alarming statistics, ESFI encourages families to include safety as part of their holiday plans this year. This comprehensive campaign includes the resources needed to disseminate this important lifesaving message such as: press releases, public service announcements (PSAs), and b-roll.

Incorporated into this year's campaign are the new and startling findings of a national survey conducted by ESFI which reveals just how often consumers put themselves at risk over the holidays. In addition, ESFI is also proud to launch a new holiday website (www.holidaysafety.org) where consumers can access tools such as: tips for decorating safely, ways to protect your children from the increased dangers they face, and how to recognize and avoid counterfeit electrical products.

With the extra help of these holiday safety resources, people can easily identify and eliminate many of the dangers they face in their home - protecting their property and saving their lives. ESFI hopes that you enjoy this special time of year by staying safe!

Founded in 1994, The Electrical Safety Foundation International is North America's only non-profit 501(c)(3) organization dedicated exclusively to promoting electrical safety in the home, school and workplace. ESFI proudly sponsors National Electrical Safety Month each May and focuses on raising public education to help reduce property damage, personal injury and death due to electrical accidents.