Deck the halls with holiday safety tips from PNM

Category: Non-Local News Releases Non-Local News Releases
Published: 03 December 2021 03 December 2021

(Albuquerque, NM) – ‘Tis the season to decorate safely! While the glow of the holiday lights can provide an inviting and festive feel to any home or business, incidents of home fires and electrical accidents increase during the winter holiday season, according to the Electrical Safety Foundation International. PNM encourages everyone to keep the following tips in mind to help stay safe this holiday season: 

·       Always look up and exercise caution outdoors when decorating near power lines. Keep yourself and your equipment at least 15 feet from power lines, and always carry ladders horizontally.

·       Consider purchasing LED lights which use less energy and run cooler than traditional incandescent lights.

·       Decorations not bearing a label from an independent testing laboratory such as Underwriters Laboratories (UL) have not been tested for safety and could be hazardous.

·       Use a GFCI outlet for outdoor lights, and of course, ensure the right lights for the environment (outdoor vs indoor).

·       Inspect all electrical decorations for damage before use. Damaged cords may cause a serious shock or can start a fire.

·       Keep all extension cords and light strings clear of snow and standing water.

·       If you have a live Christmas tree, be sure to keep it well-watered.

·       Protect electrical cords from damage. Cords should never be pinched by furniture, forced into small spaces, placed under rugs, located near heat sources or attached by nails or staples.

·       When buying electronic toys for children, read the manufacturer’s instructions & warning labels. Note if the item is appropriate for the child’s age group & determine whether adult supervision is required.

·       Always unplug electrical decorations before replacing bulbs or fuses and turn off all electrical decorations before leaving home or going to sleep.

“Families are decorating their homes more this year to bring some extra joy and happiness during this pandemic,” said Chad Krukowski, director for the PNM Safety Department. “Just being extra mindful can help prevent serious accidents.” 

For additional safety tips, visit PNM.com/safety. 

Content on the Beat

WARNING: All articles and photos with a byline or photo credit are copyrighted to the author or photographer. You may not use any information found within the articles without asking permission AND giving attribution to the source. Photos can be requested and may incur a nominal fee for use personally or commercially.

Disclaimer: If you find errors in articles not written by the Beat team but sent to us from other content providers, please contact the writer, not the Beat. For example, obituaries are always provided by the funeral home or a family member. We can fix errors, but please give details on where the error is so we can find it. News releases from government and non-profit entities are posted generally without change, except for legal notices, which incur a small charge.

NOTE: If an article does not have a byline, it was written by someone not affiliated with the Beat and then sent to the Beat for posting.

Images: We have received complaints about large images blocking parts of other articles. If you encounter this problem, click on the title of the article you want to read and it will take you to that article's page, which shows only that article without any intruders. 

New Columnists: The Beat continues to bring you new columnists. And check out the old faithfuls who continue to provide content.

Newsletter: If you opt in to the Join GCB Three Times Weekly Updates option above this to the right, you will be subscribed to email notifications with links to recently posted articles.

Submitting to the Beat

Those new to providing news releases to the Beat are asked to please check out submission guidelines at https://www.grantcountybeat.com/about/submissions. They are for your information to make life easier on the readers, as well as for the editor.

Advertising: Don't forget to tell advertisers that you saw their ads on the Beat.

Classifieds: We have changed Classifieds to a simpler option. Check periodically to see if any new ones have popped up. Send your information to editor@grantcountybeat.com and we will post it as soon as we can. Instructions and prices are on the page.

Editor's Notes

It has come to this editor's attention that people are sending information to the Grant County Beat Facebook page. Please be aware that the editor does not regularly monitor the page. If you have items you want to send to the editor, please send them to editor@grantcountybeat.com. Thanks!

Here for YOU: Consider the Beat your DAILY newspaper for up-to-date information about Grant County. It's at your fingertips! One Click to Local News. Thanks for your support for and your readership of Grant County's online news source—www.grantcountybeat.com

Feel free to notify editor@grantcountybeat.com if you notice any technical problems on the site. Your convenience is my desire for the Beat.  The Beat totally appreciates its readers and subscribers!  

Compliance: Because you are an esteemed member of The Grant County Beat readership, be assured that we at the Beat continue to do everything we can to be in full compliance with GDPR and pertinent US law, so that the information you have chosen to give to us cannot be compromised.