News Release > When Putting Lights Up, Don’t Let Your Guard Down

For Immediate Release

When Putting Lights Up, Don’t Let Your Guard Down

12/04/2020

Decorative lights, dry trees are common sources of holiday fires

While the pandemic has put a damper on the holiday season, reviving and even expanding the tradition of holiday decorating is a great way to add some cheer and normalcy to otherwise troubled times.

When it comes to decorating with lights, Entergy has tips for doing it safely.

  • If you haven’t upgraded to LED light strings, consider doing so. They don’t get hot, use little energy, put out lots of light, can incorporate snazzy technology and last longer than traditional bulbs.
  • Never leave your lights on unattended. This takes some effort, but it’s important. Turn off your outdoor lights when you leave the house or go to bed and your indoor decorative lights, too.
  • Never use indoor lights outside. Outdoor lights are sealed against moisture to prevent electric shocks. When running extension cords along the ground, elevate plugs and connectors with a brick or other item to keep snow, water and debris out of the connections.
  • When putting up lights outside from a rooftop or with a ladder, stay away from power lines. Also, be sure to use a ladder that is the right size for the task.
  • Plug no more than three light strands in one electrical outlet. This is a good rule of thumb to keep from overloading a circuit.
  • Toss out old lights and buy new ones, preferably LED. Modern lights have safety features built in that older ones do not have.
  • Never put electric lights on metal trees. Metal conducts electricity. A frayed wire could energize your tree and deliver a dangerous shock.
  • If you buy a real tree, be sure it is fresh when you get it and keep it watered. Christmas trees are the leading cause of house fires during the holidays. Keeping your tree watered will make it less flammable. Once the tree has dried out, and certainly after Christmas, remove the hazard from your home.

Make the season bright. Cheer up your home and the neighborhood by lighting up the night. But do so safely by following these tips.

Entergy Mississippi, LLC provides electricity to approximately 450,000 customers in 45 counties. Entergy Corporation is an integrated energy company engaged primarily in electric power production and retail distribution operations. Entergy owns and operates power plants with approximately 30,000 megawatts of electric generating capacity, including nearly 9,000 megawatts of nuclear power. Entergy delivers electricity to 2.9 million utility customers in Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas. Entergy has annual revenues of $11 billion and approximately 13,600 employees.

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