Saladino and Public Safety Department Offer Holiday Safety Tips

Oyster Bay Town Supervisor Joseph Saladino and the Town’s Department of Public Safety today issued important holiday safety tips to residents ahead of the upcoming holiday season to help ensure a safe and joyous season for all.

Supervisor Saladino stated, “While the holiday season is a time for family and festive fun, it is also a time to keep in mind some important safety tips to make sure that all residents can enjoy a happy and healthy holiday season. While accidents may not be common, when they do occur, they are harmful and potentially can prove costly and following these simple, common sense tips can help keep you and your loved ones safe.”

To ensure safety over the course of the holiday season, Supervisor Saladino and the Department of Public Safety offer the following safety tips:

• Keep potentially poisonous plants – mistletoe, holly berries, Jerusalem cherry and amaryllis – away from children.
• If using a live tree, cut off about 2 inches of the trunk to expose fresh wood for better water absorption, remember to water it and remove it from your home when it is dry.
• Place your tree at least 3 feet away from fireplaces, radiators and other heat sources, making certain not to block doorways.
• Avoid placing breakable ornaments or ones with small, detachable parts on lower tree branches where small children can reach them.
• Only use indoor lights indoors and outdoor lights outdoors, and choose the right ladder for the task when hanging lights.
• Replace light sets that have broken or cracked sockets, frayed or bare wires, or loose connections.
• Follow the package directions on the number of light sets that can be plugged into one socket.
• Never nail, tack or stress wiring when hanging lights and keep plugs off the ground away from puddles and snow.
• Turn off all lights and decorations when you go to bed or leave the house.
• Use flameless, rather than lighted, candles.
• Don’t burn trees, wreaths or wrapping paper in the fireplace.
• Check and clean the chimney and fireplace area at least once a year.
• Toys are age-rated for safety  so be sure to choose toys in the correct age range.
• When giving scooters and other riding toys, give the gift of appropriate safety gear, too; helmets should be worn at all times and they should be sized to fit.