This holiday season should be bright and happy, but each year in the United States, hospital emergency rooms treat about 12,500 people for injuries related to holiday lights, decorations and Christmas trees. In addition, there are 11,600 candle-related fires each year, resulting in 150 deaths, 1,200 injuries and $173 million in property loss annually. Every year, Christmas trees are involved in about 300 fires resulting in 10 deaths, 30 injuries, and an average of $10 million in property loss and damage.

People are often so busy during the holidays that they forget to extinguish candles. Always douse candles before leaving a room or going to bed and always keep burning candles in sight.

When purchasing a live tree, check for freshness. A fresh tree is green, with needles that are hard to pull from branches and do not break when bent between your fingers. The trunk butt of a fresh tree is sticky with resin, and when tapped on the ground, the tree should not lose many needles.

When setting up a tree at home, place it away from fireplaces and radiators. Because heated rooms dry live trees out rapidly, be sure to keep the stand filled with water. Place the tree out of the way of traffic and do not block doorways.

Indoors or out, use only lights that have been checked for safety by a recognized testing laboratory. Use only lights with fused plugs. Check each set of lights, new or old, for broken or cracked sockets, frayed or bare wires, or loose connections, and throw out damaged sets. Always replace burned-out bulbs promptly with the same wattage bulbs.

Use no more than three standard-size sets of lights per single extension cord. Make sure the extension cord is rated for the intended use. Never use electric lights on a metallic tree. The tree can become electrified from faulty lights, and a person touching a branch could be electrocuted.

Before using lights outside, check labels to be sure they have been certified for outdoor use. Stay away from power or feeder lines leading from utility poles into homes. Fasten outdoor lights securely to trees, house walls, or other firm supports to protect from wind damage. Use only insulated staples to hold strings in place, not nails or tacks. Or, use special hooks (available at hardware stores).

Turn off all holiday lights when you go to bed or leave the house. The lights could short out and start a fire.

Outdoor electric lights and decorations should be plugged into circuits protected by ground fault circuit interrupters. Portable outdoor GFCIs can be purchased where electrical supplies are sold. GFCIs can be installed permanently to household circuits by a qualified electrician.

Use only noncombustible or flame-resistant materials to trim a tree. Choose tinsel or artificial icicles of plastic or nonleaded metals. Leaded materials are hazardous if ingested by children. Never use lighted candles on a tree or near other evergreens. Always use nonflammable holders, and place candles where they will not be knocked down.

In homes with small children, take special care to avoid decorations that are sharp or breakable, keep trimmings with small removable parts out of the reach of children to avoid the child swallowing or inhaling small pieces, and avoid trimmings that resemble candy or food that may tempt a toddler to eat them.

Finally, if you are an old hand at Christmas but know of a young family (especially with young children) that might not be as safety savvy, clip this column and send it in their Christmas card. Sharing safety might be one of the nicest gifts you can give.

Consumer Forum is a collaboration of the Bangor Daily News and Northeast COMBAT/The Maine Center for the Public Interest, Maine’s membership-funded nonprofit consumer organization. For help or to request individual or business membership information write: Consumer Forum, Bangor Daily News, PO Box 1329, Bangor 04402-1329.