Enjoy the holiday season but be cautious with your Christmas tree. Buy a freshly cut tree and keep the stand full of water at all times. Keep it away from all heat sources and make sure it doesn't block a doorway. Check all decorative lights before placing them on the tree and discard any frayed or damaged lights and cords. Never place lighted candles on or near the Christmas tree. When large amounts of needles begin to fall off, it's time to get rid of the tree.

Do not link more than three light strands, unless the directions indicate it is safe. Connect strings of lights to an extension cord before plugging the cord into the outlet. Make sure to periodically check the wires - they should not be warm to the touch.

When you replace a bulb on a light string, ensure the voltage and/or wattage marked on the light set is compatible with the replacement light. Unplug the light string before you replace the bulb so there is no danger of shock.

There is nothing more appealing on a cold winter's night than a blazing fireplace and the warm glow of candles. But open flame can be an invitation to disaster. Sharonville fire department urges you to treat fire with respect. Never leave fire unattended. Don't burn wrapping paper or ribbons and always use your fireplace screen. Make sure candles are in a secure holder and place them out of the reach of children.

Have your chimney inspected by a professional heating technician prior to the start of every heating season and cleaned if necessary. Creosote, a chemical substance that forms when wood burns, builds up in chimneys and can cause a chimney fire if not removed through cleaning.

Select heating equipment that bears the UL Mark. The UL Mark on a product means that UL engineers have tested representative samples of the product for foreseeable safety hazards.

Keep all portable heaters and space heaters at least 36 inches (1 yard) from combustible materials, including furniture, bedding, clothing and pets.

Turn handles inward so pots and pans won't be pulled or knocked off the stove.

Remember never use water on a grease fire, water will spread the fire and make it worse. Turn off the heat and put a lid on the pan to extinguish the fire.

Keep curtains, pot holders, towels and any other combustibles away from cooking areas. Avoid wearing loose clothing and materials that burn readily when cooking. Avoid reaching above the cooking area exposing clothing to the open flame.

Designate a Driver: When attending a party, always designate a non-drinking driver. If you are the host of a holiday gathering, be sure there are non-alcoholic beverages available for guests who are driving.

Buckle Up: During the holiday months, people travel more than ever. Wearing a seat belt is the easiest and best way to prevent injury in a motor vehicle collision. Ensure that all passengers are also wearing safety belts.

Please make sure your carbon monoxide detector is working properly, it can provide an early warning of accumulating carbon monoxide, but is no substitute for proper maintenance of heating and cooking equipment.

Test your smoke alarms to make sure they are in good working order and change the batteries when you change your clocks. Then review your fire escape plan. Do all members of your household know two ways out of every room?

Free smoke detectors-Sharonville Fire Department offers free smoke detectors to any resident of the city. This is made possible through the generosity of the Sharonville Kiwanis club. If you do not have a working smoke detector in your home, please call the main firehouse at 563-0252 to schedule an appointment. And we will send a firefighter to your home to install a new detector. At your request, we will also track how many units you have and send a reminder to you of when the battery should be changed. Batteries should be changed at 6 months intervals, even if they are working properly. Smoke detectors should be replaced every 10 years, regardless of their make or model. Sharonville Fire Department also has 9-volt batteries, free of charge, for smoke detectors and carbon monoxide detectors. Smoke detectors save lives!!!

Please call and let us help you make your home as safe as possible.

Free carbon monoxide alarms-Carbon monoxide cannot be detected by anyone, no matter how keen your senses. It is colorless, odorless, and tasteless. The only way you know if you have carbon monoxide in your home is if you have a carbon monoxide detector. Carbon monoxide is a lethal gas given off when natural gas, gasoline, fuel oil, kerosene, or any other fossil fuel is burned. Through the generosity of the American Red Cross, Sharonville Fire Department is able to offer free carbon monoxide detectors to any resident in the city. All you have to do is call the main firehouse at 563-0252, to schedule an appointment for your carbon monoxide detector to be installed by a firefighter. Only one carbon monoxide detector is needed per home.

Blood pressure checks- we understand that on occasion you might want to have your blood pressure checked. Sharonville fire department will check your blood pressure for free. Please call the main firehouse at 563-0252, or the Fields Ertel station at 489-7949 to assure that someone will be available to meet with you when you arrive. We are not always at the stations; we may be out in the community helping someone else in need.

Free child Safety Seat Inspections- Over 90 % of all child safety seats are installed improperly. Please call the main station at 563-0252 to schedule an appointment to have your child's safety seat inspected and properly installed. We do not judge, we simply educate.

Free Home Safety Inspections-Sharonville Fire Department would like to have the opportunity to be invited into your home to help you make your home as safe as possible. We have a new program in place called Home Safe. This is a chance to have a firefighter review a safety checklist with you in your home. No citations will be issued; we simply want your home to be safe. We would also like to invite a police officer to join us to review security issues you might have. All information is confidential and will not be shared with anyone. Please call the main station at 563-0252 to schedule an appointment. Operators are standing by.