Included here is information on:

• Using Halloween Decorations Properly
• Co Alarms and Carbon Monoxide Safety
• Working Smoke Alarms - A Must for Every Home

USING HALLOWEEN DECORATIONS PROPERLY

From carved pumpkins to elaborate electrical decorations such as illuminated figurines of witches and ghosts and light strings with pumpkins, putting festive electrical decorations in the frontyard or playground for Halloween can be fun for people of all ages.

Regardless of the decorations you choose to use this Halloween though to greet "trick-or-treaters," remind your friends, family members, and students that the "trick" to having a safe and fun Halloween is to "treat" your decorations properly,

Use light strings and animated or electrical decorations that bear the UL Mark. Electrical decorations, such as illuminated pumpkins, that have been tested by UL bear holographic UL labels -- easily identified by their silver base and UL Marks that appear to "float" in the background. Holographic UL labels for light strings designed solely for indoor use bear green UL Listing Marks, and light strings for both indoor and/or outdoor use are identified by red UL Listing Marks.

Before you begin decorating, read and follow the manufacturer's instructions concerning installation and maintenance of the electrical decorations you'll be using.

Before plugging in newly purchased electrical decorations, or those you've used previously, carefully inspect each decoration. Cracked sockets, frayed, loose or bare wires, and loose connections may cause a serious electric shock or start a fire. Replace damaged items with new, UL Listed decorations.

Always unplug a light string or electrical decoration before replacing light bulbs or fuses. Check the instructions to determine which maintenance the manufacturer recommends you perform. Don't attempt to make a repair unless the instructions indicate the proper procedure and equipment for doing so. Decorations may overheat or safety mechanisms may not operate properly if you use replacement parts other than those specified by the manufacturer.

Don't mount or support light strings in any way that might damage the cord's wire insulation.

Check the markings on your electrical decorations to determine the maximum number of decorative lights (light strings) and decorations that may be connected together. If the product packaging does not indicate the number of light strings that may be connected together, practice this rule of thumb: do not connect more than three light string sets together.

Don't overload extension cords.

Don't allow children or pets to play with light strings or other electrical decorations. These decorations aren't toys and could produce a deadly electric shock if they are misused.

Turn off all electrical light strings and decorations before leaving home or going to bed.

Make sure your home is equipped with working smoke detectors and fire extinguishers that bear the UL Mark. Don't forget to install, test, and maintain these devices in accordance with the manufacturer's instructions.

For additional safety tip information, visit UL's Web site at www.ul.com.

PREVENTION IS THE BEST WEAPON AGAINST CO POISONING

Each heating season it appears to be inevitable - news organizations across the United States cover a story of someone succumbing to carbon monoxide (CO), a colorless, odorless, poisonous gas. Unfortunately, this tragedy is not so uncommon. Each year, more than 250 people die and 10,000 seek medical attention after accidental carbon monoxide poisoning - primarily because they don't recognize the warning signs of exposure or because their residence is among the 80 percent of U.S. homes that don't have a CO alarm.

One way to protect yourself and your family is to install UL-Listed CO alarms. They're designed to detect elevated levels of CO and sound an alarm to alert you and your family of a potential poisoning risk.

The safety professionals at Underwriters Laboratories Inc. (UL) suggest consumers take the following preventive measures in addition to installing a CO alarm:

• CO alarms should be installed outside of sleeping areas and near fuel-burning appliances (about 10 feet away). Test your CO alarm at least once a month and replace the battery on battery-operated units at least once a year.
• If your CO alarm should sound, immediately push the reset/silence button and call 9-1-1. Move to fresh air and make sure that everyone in the house is accounted for.
• Do not re-enter the premises until emergency services have arrived, the source of CO has been determined and appropriate repairs made.

Remember, an alarm indicates elevated levels of CO in your home. CO is called the silent killer because you cannot see or smell it. Some people can be exposed to dangerous levels of CO and not feel any adverse effects. Regardless of whether you feel symptoms - n nausea, fatigue, headaches, dizziness, confusion and breathing difficulty - never ignore the alarm.

For more information on CO, CO poisoning and ways to protect your family, visit www.ul.com/consumers.

WORKING SMOKE ALARMS: A MUST FOR EVERY HOME

Smoke alarms can save your life, your family and your home, but only if you maintain them properly and install them in the right places.

The safety experts at Underwriters Laboratories Inc. (UL) advise homeowners and renters to install at least one smoke alarm on every floor of their home. Reports from the National Fire Protection Association show that more than 368,000 home fires occurred in the United States in 2000, resulting in 16,975 injuries and $5.5 billion in property damage.

UL offers some tips for purchasing, maintaining and placing smoke alarms:

• When you purchase a smoke alarm, look for the UL Mark on the product as well as the packaging. The UL Mark indicates that UL evaluated representative samples of the smoke alarm for your safety.
• Although one smoke alarm can help save your life, several may be needed to adequately protect your home and your family. Install at least one on every floor of your home including the basement and outside each sleeping area.
• If you sleep with the door closed, install smoke alarms inside the room.
• Because smoke rises, alarms should be mounted high on walls and ceilings.
• Smoke alarms should not be installed near a window, door or forced-air register, where drafts could interfere with their operation.
• To keep smoke alarms in good working order, test them at least once a month. Testing familiarizes you and your family with the life-saving signal that the alarm makes.
• A good cleaning helps eliminate dust that collects on smoke alarms - dust can cause a nuisance alarm. Clean your alarm as instructed in the owner's manual.
• Don't allow anyone to disconnect or "borrow" the batteries from your smoke alarm. A smoke alarm can't work unless it's connected to a power source.
• Remember to change batteries in all smoke alarms twice a year; for example, change them when you change your clocks in spring and fall. Also change them when the alarm chirps, signaling low battery power.
• Replace your entire smoke alarm every 10 years, or as the manufacturer recommends.

In addition to working smoke alarms, UL also recommends that you develop and practice a fire escape plan with your family. Family members should never return to a burning building for any reason. Property can be replaced but lives can't. For more information on smoke alarms and other product safety tips, visit UL's Web site at www.ul.com/consumers.