Holiday Fire Prevention Tips

The winter holidays are a time for family, festivities, and unfortunately, fires. The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) reports that “Between 2015-2019, U.S. fire departments responded to an average 160 home fires that started with Christmas trees per year. These fires caused an average of two deaths, 12 injuries, and $10 million in direct property damage annually.[1]” As one of Florida’s leading public adjusters, our job is to help families pick up the pieces and rebuild their homes and lives after a fire or other major disaster. Following are our top seven tips to help you and your loved ones minimize your risk of a house fire during the holidays:

• If you purchase a live Christmas tree, make sure it has sturdy, green needles and isn’t dried out. Place the tree far away from any heat sources, such as a fireplace or candles. Water your tree daily to keep it moist. A dried-out Christmas tree can quickly and easily go up in flames if exposed to a heat source.
• Artificial Christmas trees should be labeled as “fire resistant” so they will be more difficult (but not impossible) to catch on fire.
• Before stringing up your lights, check the wires to make sure they are in good condition – nothing frayed or worn. Follow the manufacturer recommendations on whether a particular light set should be used indoors or outdoors. Turn out the lights when you leave the house or go to sleep. Nearly one in five Christmas tree fires are started by decorative lights[2].
• Keep menorahs, kinaras, and all other lit candles far away from any other decorations that are flammable. Similarly, never use lit candles to decorate your Christmas tree; candles start more than one-third of holiday home fires[3].
• When cooking large holiday meals, the kitchen can become hectic and chaotic. Make it a priority to keep dishtowels, discarded packaging, papers, and anything else flammable away from your cooktop to prevent it from catching on fire.
• An adult should always be present and attentive when using the cooktop. According to the NFPA, unattended cooking is a leading cause of cooking fires. [4]
• After the holidays, promptly discard your Christmas tree before it dries out and becomes a fire hazard.

The team at Get Paid For Your Claim wishes you a safe, healthy, and happy holiday season.

Insurance companies have their own team of experts and insurance adjusters to advocate on their behalf.  At Get Paid For Your Claim, weadvocate for you.  As a licensed and bonded Public Adjuster, we help insurance policyholders who have been forced to use insurance to make a claim.

Our service is fast and to the point.  We get results.  We know how to strategically move the process along, while negotiating on our clients’ behalf toward the best possible outcome — the maximum settlement available.

The earlier a public adjuster is brought into the process, the better the opportunity to help you obtain a more favorable claim settlement. As soon as you engage our team, we swing into action on your behalf.  And, we support you throughout the entire claim process to achieve the maximum insurance recovery. 

For a free inspection and claim consultation, please contact us at any of our convenient Florida locations:

BOCA RATON

2255 Glades Road
Suite 324A
Boca Raton, Florida   33431
Phone: (954) 914-5454

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Stuart, Florida   34994
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9160 Forum Corporate Parkway
Suite 350
Fort Myers, Florida   33905
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12161 Ken Adams Way
Suite 110-UU
Wellington, Florida   33414
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601 21st Street
Suite 300
Vero Beach, Florida   32960
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Suite 482
Fort Lauderdale, Florida   33306-1813
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LAUDERHILL

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Suite F-100
Lauderhill, Florida   33351
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PORT CHARLOTTE

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VP-26
Port Charlotte, Florida   33954
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[1] National Fire Protection Association. NFPA – Winter holiday fire facts. Accessed October 31, 2022.

[2] National Fire Protection Association. NFPA – Winter holiday fire facts. Accessed October 31, 2022.

[3] FEMA. Holiday Fire Safety | FEMA.gov. Accessed October 31, 2022.

[4] National Fire Protection Association. “Home Cooking Fires” report | NFPA. Accessed October 31, 2022.