As everyone gets into the holiday spirit and decorates their home or business, there are some safety tips to keep in mind to prevent fires.

Jefferson Fire Chief Jack Williams says one important area of concern is being mindful when plugging in lights and other holiday decorations into outlets.

“You start putting those up, don’t use the plugin that has six extra plugs on it and plug it into one spot. Electrical lines are only made to take so much load and if you have even five strings of lights in one outlet, it’s going to overheat.”

He reminds everyone to check carbon monoxide detectors as well, especially in the winter months.

“It’s odorless, it’s colorless and you can’t actually smell it yourself in the house, but the detectors can pick them up. One of the big things about both smoke and carbon monoxide detectors is you need to make sure that the dust build up isn’t on them because that can also cause them to go off.”

Williams adds to make sure your home or business has an updated fire extinguisher in case of fire emergencies.