FORT LEONARD WOOD, Mo. — ‘Tis the season for traveling, decorating and cooking, and the U.S. Army Garrison Fort Leonard Safety Office wants to remind the community to incorporate safety into their holiday festivities.
Craig Reeves, Garrison senior safety officer, said above all he wants to remind the community to take breaks from the hustle and bustle of the holiday season because accidents are more likely to happen when people are trying to juggle too many tasks.
“Slow down and enjoy this time of the season. Sometimes we try to do too much, which only leads to frustration and problems,” Reeves said.
Safe travel
“Many people will be traveling to see family and friends over the holiday season. With stress and timetables that the holidays bring, it is easy to allow ourselves to get into a bad situation on the road,” Reeves said. “Please build extra time into your schedule to reduce these possible hazards.”
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s website has a page dedicated to holiday travel with instructions on how to prepare a travel health kit. The kit includes items travelers may need while traveling and at the holiday destination.
For those driving, Reeves said motorists should think about preparing their vehicles for the trip.
From tires to jumper cables, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s winter weather driving tips page has lists to help travelers prepare.
“Ensure you bring plenty of cold weather gear and safety items while on the road. Keep your phone charged for emergency situations and ensure someone knows your schedule and route in case you had an accident,” Reeves added.
For Fort Leonard Wood specific weather related information the Weather and Hazardous Conditions page is updated at 4 a.m., every day year-round and as conditions change.
Another source of information is the Missouri Department of Transportation web page. Visitors to this site can click on the traveler info map and the icon for traffic cameras on the left of the page to select an area of I-44 to view live.
According to the NHTSA, December drunk driving deaths are the highest in 15 years and drivers will likely see more law enforcement on the roads as part of Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over campaign.
Fire prevention
“The holidays bring numerous potential fire hazards,” Reeves said.
National Fire Prevention Association statistics show that U.S. fire departments responded to about 835 home structure fires per year that began with decorations, excluding Christmas trees. Between 2020 and 2024, U.S. fire departments responded to an average of 143 home fires that started with Christmas trees per year. And Nearly half of home Christmas tree fires are caused by electrical problems.
“Please ensure you do not overload outlets or piggyback extension cords,” Reeves said.
In addition to not overloading electrical outlets, the Electrical Safety Foundation has these tips on preventing holiday fires:
- Inspect electrical decorations for damage before use.
- Never connect more than three strings of incandescent lights.
- Keep trees fresh by watering daily.
- Use battery-operated candles.
- Keep combustibles at least three feet from heat sources.
- Protect cords from damage.
- Check decorations for certification label.
- Stay in the kitchen when something is cooking.
- Turn off, unplug, and extinguish all decorations when going to sleep or leaving the house.
The NFPA’s website states that in 2024 the three leading dates for home structure fires caused by cooking were Thanksgiving, Christmas Day and Christmas Eve.
Holiday fire safety tips can be found on the NFPA’s website and cooking safety tips on their cooking safety page.
Fall prevention
To prevent falls while decking the halls, Reeves said it is important to practice ladder safety over the holidays.
“Ensure you have someone there to help while you are up on a ladder,” Reeves said.
According to the Electrical Safety Foundation, more than 5,000 people each year are treated in hospital emergency rooms for falls associated with holiday decorations and more than half of these injuries were caused by falls from ladders or roofs while decorating outdoors.
The American Ladder Institute has these safety tips for holiday projects:
- Never climb a ladder in inclement weather.
- Choose the right-sized ladder for the job.
- Inspect your equipment before climbing.
- Save the eggnog and any other holiday spirits until decorating is complete.
- Position your ladder on firm, level ground.
- Always maintain three points of contact while climbing.
- Do not overreach while on the ladder.
The U.S. Army Combat Readiness Center’s website states that from late November to mid-January, when families gather, parties are scheduled and travel spikes, safety should be top of mind.
The center has more “tried-and-true advice” available on their Fall and Winter Safety 2025 website to ensure families remains safe and injury-free throughout the season.
Social Sharing