Christmas and COVID-19: 

As COVID-19 cases continue to rise locally and around the country, the CDC offers the following safety recommendations to make your holidays safer and help reduce the chances of spreading or contracting the virus.

• The safest way to spend Christmas this year is to celebrate ONLY with members of the same household.
• If you are planning on celebrating with family and friends who don’t live with you, consider scheduling a time to spend time together virtually. 
• Although not recommended, if you still choose to host an in-person Christmas gathering, be sure to have a small outdoor meal and to limit the number of guests. Also, help prevent the spread of the virus by using disposable plates, cups, and eating utensils. 
• Attending gatherings with people outside your home can be very dangerous and can further propagate the spread of COVID-19. However, if you are planning to attend a gathering with people outside of your household, be sure not to share food, dishes, drinking glasses, cups or eating utensils.   
• Remember to keep at least 6 feet apart from one another, wear a mask, and wash your hands often. Also important, safely store your mask while eating or drinking in order to keep it clean at all times.
• Always keep your hands and cooking utensils clean. Regularly clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces. 

 
Christmas and fire safety: 

This Christmas, MDFR is encouraging everyone to take advantage of South Florida’s pleasant weather by enjoying the outdoors and having an outdoor festive meal while being fire safe.

According to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), more than 800 home fires are caused by holiday decorations every year. One in every four fires is caused by a heat source too close to a Christmas tree, and more than one in every three home decoration fires is started by candles. Additionally, according to the Underwriters Laboratory (UL), an independent not-for-profit product-safety certification organization, an estimated 13,000 people are treated in emergency rooms nationwide for injuries related to holiday decorations every year.

Christmas Trees:

• Keep your natural Christmas tree watered at all times.
• Regularly check your tree for fresh, green needles. A hydrated tree means less chance for your tree to ignite and start a fire.
• Place your tree away from where it can block an exit and at least three feet away from fireplaces, radiators, space heaters, heating vents and other sources of heat.
• Check electrical decorations for damage before use.
• Ensure lights, decorations and extension cords are rated for outdoor or indoor use. Don’t forget to remove holiday lights from the exterior of your residence. Light strings are not meant to be up more than 90 days.
• Do not overload extension cords by plugging in too many decorations.
• Be careful when using ladders to install decorations inside or outside the home.
• Turn off all electrical lights or decorations before leaving home or going to bed.
• Always keep an ABC-rated home fire extinguisher nearby in case of an emergency. 
• Dispose of your tree safely right after the holiday is over before it dries out and becomes a fire hazard. Recycle your Christmas tree at one of 13 Neighborhood Trash and Recycling Centers in Miami-Dade County. For more information on holiday waste collection, recycling, and disposal facility schedule, call 311 or visit www.miamidade.gov/solidwaste.

Candles:

• Keep candles away from anything that can burn and away from areas where they can be knocked over by a person or a pet.
• Never use lit candles to decorate Christmas trees.
• Never leave children or pets unattended in a room with lit candles.
• Blow out the candles before leaving home or going to bed.
• Consider using battery-operated flameless candles, which can look, smell, and feel like real candles.
• Always keep an ABC-rated home fire extinguisher nearby in case of an emergency. 

Cooking:

• Do not leave any cooking unattended. Be sure to set a timer when leaving food in the oven. Statistics show this is the number one cause of house fires in the nation. 
• Make sure the dishes you use in the microwave, standard oven and dishwasher are marked that they are safe for that use. Even in the dishwasher, a non-approved plate can cause a fire.
• Keep children and pets away from the stove and meal prep areas. The stove will be hot, and kids and pets should stay three (3) feet away.  
• Make sure children stay away from hot foods and liquids. The steam or splash from vegetables, coffee or tea could cause serious burns.
• Prevent burns by turning pot handles and any cooking utensils away from the stove’s edge.
• Always keep an ABC-rated home fire extinguisher nearby in case of an emergency. 

Allergies:

• Prior to cooking, be sure to know if any of your guests have any food allergies. 
• If you have food allergies and are attending a party, ask if you can bring your favorite dish or dessert.
• If you have food allergies, make sure to have your medicine available in case of an emergency.
• Be alert to any symptoms of an allergic reaction: Call 9-1-1 immediately if someone has difficulty breathing, rapid pulse and dizziness as those are signs of a severe allergic reaction.

 
Smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors:

• Test your home’s smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors and check their batteries to make sure they’re in working order.
• Replace any smoke alarms that are older than 10 years and carbon monoxide detectors older than 5 years.
• Make sure everyone in the home understands the sound of the smoke alarm and knows how to respond when they hear one.
• Be sure to have proper alarms for family members who are deaf or hard of hearing.
• Have a family fire escape plan and practice it twice a year to make sure that everyone at home will know what to do in case of a fire emergency.

 
If you experience an emergency, be sure to call 9-1-1 immediately. 

For more information, please contact MDFR’s Media and Public Relations Bureau at (305) 814-8051.