Electricity helps make our lives easier but there are times when we can take its power and its potential for fire-related hazards for granted. 

NFPA actively supports National Electrical Safety Month, an annual campaign in May sponsored by the Electrical Safety Foundation International (ESFI), which works to raise awareness of potential home electrical hazards, the importance of electrical fire safety, and the safety of electrical workers. This year’s theme is: Understanding the Code that Keeps Us Safe.

News release: NFPA, ESFI stress importance of electrical safety during National Electrical Safety Month

To help reduce your risk, NFPA and ESFI recommend that you have all electrical work done by a qualified electrician, including electrical inspections, when buying or remodeling a home. The following are additional tips residents can follow to help keep their homes safe from electrical fires:

• Check electrical cords to make sure they are not running across doorways or under carpets where they are can get damaged.
• Have a qualified electrician add more receptacle outlets in your home to reduce the use of extension cords.
• Use light bulbs that match the recommended wattage on the lamp or fixture. Check the sticker on the lamp to determine the maximum wattage light bulb to use.