Students looking forward to a month off from school may forget that the holidays have potential to be a dangerous time if precautions are not met.
As students get ready to sprint home for relaxation, they should to remember to keep holiday safety in mind.
When packing to head home for the holidays, students should take certain actions in their residence halls to prevent accidents from occurring during the break. Shelley Thomas, marketing and public relations coordinator for the office of Housing and Residence Life, said all residence directors will receive a checklist to give to their students before the dorms close for the holidays.
That checklist includes removing all perishable items from microfridges and unplugging all electronics except for fish tanks, Thomas said.
Students should also turn off the lights and take out the trash before leaving. Students should remember also to take home all of their valuable equipment.
“The housing staff will do safety and security inspections during the holidays to try to keep the dorms as safe as possible,” Thomas said.
Any student who has maintenance problems in his or her room can report the problem online and it will be taken care of during the holidays. Visit www.housing.msstate.edu and click on “Fix It” on the menu toolbar.
Thomas also advised students who are planning to pack their cars the night before leaving campus to pack everything out of view.
“It is very easy for someone to walk across the parking lot and see you packing your car, which makes you more vulnerable to theft,” Thomas said, adding that it is safer to keep valuables in the room until it is time to leave.
Dorms will be closing Dec. 13 at 5 p.m. and will reopen Jan. 8 at 2 p.m. Students who live on campus and need a safe place to stay have the option of staying in Herbert Hall for $10 a night, Thomas said.
“Many students don’t know that we have this option for students who don’t want to leave earlier than Dec. 13 or who don’t want to go home for the holidays, and it is much better than them roaming around Starkville somewhere,” Thomas said.
Anyone interested can visit the housing office in Herbert Hall for more information.
Another part of holiday safety that students may forget to take into consideration is proper usage of holiday decorations. Although they may look pretty, they can be dangerous if misused.
Roger Mann, fire marshall of the Starkville Fire Department, reminds students to only use Christmas lights for their intended purpose. Indoor lights should not be used outdoors, nor should outdoor lights be hung up inside the home.
One of the biggest fire hazards in the home during Christmas is the Christmas tree itself. A real tree will eventually dry out. When that happens, it burns like gasoline, Mann said.
The tree absorbs the most water in the first few days after being brought into the home.
“Watering the tree is the only defense against it drying out,” Mann said.
Another way to prevent a tree from catching on fire is to turn the lights off before leaving the home, Mann said.
“If you want to leave your lights on while you are gone, then get an artificial tree,” Mann added.
It is also important to remember not to overload extension cords during the holidays or anytime.
Mann recommended using UL-approved cords with a heavy gauge.
Colder weather prompts many people to build fires in their fireplaces, but that Yule log should not be burned until homeowners have checked to make sure the dampers are opened and the fireplace has been cleaned out from last year’s uses. Also, scented candles that help spread holiday cheer should be placed in an appropriate container and the flames should be extinguished before leaving the house.
“Fire safety is pretty much common sense; just be aware of your surroundings and keep your head in the game,” Mann said.