Now that we have outlasted Thanksgiving, Black Friday, Small Business Saturday, and Cyber Monday it’s time to face the rest of the holiday season. Our goal at MEMIC is to help you do so safely, so please consider the following.

An estimated 240 home fires involving Christmas trees and another 150 home fires involving holiday lights and other decorative lighting occur each year. Together, these fires result in 21 deaths and $25.2 million in direct property damage. Check out fire safety tips from the U.S. Fire Administration. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) publishes holiday health and safety tips that you can share with your employees and family members. 

Naturally a lot of folks will be traveling for the holidays. Whether you are hitting the highways or the skyways it is important to arrive safely. Plan all trips with plenty of time allowed for delays and adverse weather conditions. OSHA publishes a one-page guideline for safe winter driving, and Weather.com offers tips on traveling safely in the winter season.  In addition, a plethora of information on safe driving, distracted driving, and vehicle safety is available from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.      

We have already done away with approximately 47 million turkeys for Thanksgiving, but many more will be heading to the dinner table in the coming month. Although it makes for a great meal, did you know that Underwriter’s Laboratory (UL) will not certify any turkey fryers due to safety concerns? If you have decided that a fried turkey is the only way to go then first check out these fryer safety tips from UL. UL also publishes additional Holiday Safety Tips regarding electrical and fire safety. 

Please take a moment to read and share these tips with your family, friends, and employees. MEMIC wishes everyone a safe and enjoyable holiday season.  

Posted ByRandy Klatt, (Retired May 2022)