As the holiday season gets underway, South County Fire offers this checklist to help you deck the halls safely:

• Replace strings of lights if cords are worn, broken or have loose light bulb connections.
• Check indoor/outdoor use ratings for lights. Follow manufacturer’s instructions on the maximum number of light strands to connect.
• Use clips, not nails, to hang lights so cords do not get damaged.
• Use a sturdy ladder or step stool for hard-to-reach spots. Maintain three points of contact when climbing a ladder — two hands and foot or two feet and a hand.
• Place the Christmas tree at least 3 feet from any heat source, like fireplaces, radiators, heat vents, or candles. Make sure the tree is not blocking an exit. Add water to the tree stand daily.
• Keep lit candles away from decorations and anything that can burn. Better yet, use battery-powered, flameless candles. More than one third of home decoration fires are started by candles, according to the National Fire Protection Association.
• Before leaving your home or going to bed, make sure all candles are out and turn off all light strings and decorations.

Free winter home safety class on Dec. 8

Learn more about winter home and fire safety in South County Fire’s free, 1-hour online class on Dec. 8, 6-7 p.m. Register in advance at www.southsnofire.org/firesafety.

South County Fire also offers free online classes on ACT first aid, child safety and CPR, child car seats, disaster preparedness and aging in place. Learn more at www.southsnofire.org/classes.

Classes are presented using Zoom. New users can contact South County Fire Outreach for assistance, 425-320-5800, outreach@southsnofire.org.