Hosting the family for the holidays is a lot of work. And I’m sure that the last thing you hosts out there want or need is one more item to add to your to-do checklist. But I’m going to give you one anyway because it’s an important item: safety. Last week, we considered safety from the perspective of those traveling home for the holidays. This week, let’s look at things from the point of the person preparing the home they’re heading to.

If You’re the Host

Unless you’re Martha Stewart, hosting family gatherings can seem overwhelming. And it’s very easy to put safety on the back burner. But remember that it’s the job of the host and hostess to look out for the needs of the guests. And if you’re leaving safety out of the recipe, the holiday gathering you’re cooking up is marred by flaws—perhaps fatal ones.

Before everyone arrives, follow the items on this checklist to ensure that your guests enjoy a safe visit.

1. Reduce Fall Hazards

• Clear your outdoor walkways, porch and stairs of ice or snow and make sure they’re well lit.
• Keep your inside hallways, stairs and exits free of toys, furniture and other clutter.
• Install nightlights in the hallways.
• In the bathroom, supply a non-skid bath mat and install grab bars in the bath and shower stalls.
• If toddlers will be visiting, install safety gates at tops and bottoms of stairs.
• Be sure your throw rugs have non-slip backings.
• Install window guards with emergency release mechanisms on high windows.

2. Prepare for Emergencies

• Create a floor plan of your home, identifying two fire exits from every room, and designating a meeting place outdoors. Post it where everyone in the family can see it.
• Assign an emergency-exit buddy to each person with special needs, such as frail relatives or children.
• Clear away clutter from escape routes and don’t block any exits with holiday decorations.
• Install smoke alarms on every level, especially near sleeping areas. Test them. They should be listed by Underwriters Laboratories and replaced if 10 years or older.

3. Minimize Fire & Burn Hazards

• If you permit smoking in your home, provide heavy, non-tip ashtrays. Be sure to wet cigarette butts before putting them in the garbage.
• Put any fuel that can catch on fire in a safe container outside the home.
• Check your home’s multipurpose fire extinguisher.
• Test the ground fault circuit interrupters (GFCIs), both indoors and outdoors.
• Establish a no-go zone around the stove while cooking – no kids or pets within three feet.
• Move away from the stove anything that could catch on fire, such as paper towels, potholders and curtains.

Conclusion

A little bit of safety awareness and pre-planning will allow hosts to spend their holidays focusing on what’s most important: Enjoying the company of family and friends. To all of you and your families, have a very Merry Christmas, a Happy Hannukah, a Joyous Kwanzaa and a Good Festivus. And may 2009 bring each of you joy and good health.

Story Tools:  Email This Post  Print This Post Top