As communities prepare to celebrate Halloween with elaborate decorations, creative costumes, and candlelight displays, the Electrical Safety Foundation International (ESFI) encourages families to learn about electrical safety and take simple precautions to ensure a safe Halloween this year.

An estimated 76% of Americans reportedly celebrate the holiday season by decorating their homes.

"ESFI encourages people everywhere to make this Halloween memorable by treating safety as a top priority," says ESFI president Brett Brenner. "Following the simple steps outlined below will help you to guard against electrical hazards that may potentially threaten the safety of your family and your home."

The following guidelines are designed to help families to identify and avoid electrical safety hazards this Halloween:

Inspect each decoration before plugging into an outlet. Cracked, frayed, or bare wires and loose connections may cause a serious electric shock or start a fire.
Do not staple or nail through light strings or extension cords. This could damage the wire or insulation and cause electrical shock or fire. Use only insulated staples to hold light strings in place, not nails or tacks.
Keep electric cords out of high-traffic areas.
Prevent shock by plugging outdoor decorations into circuits protected by ground fault circuit interrupters (GFCIs).
Avoid overloading electrical outlets, which can overheat and cause fires.
Be careful when mounting or hanging light strands so as not to damage the cord's insulation.
Use only lights and electrical decorations that have been certified by a recognized independent testing laboratory such as Underwriters Laboratories (UL), Canadian Standards Association (CSA) or Intertek (ETL).
Before using an electrical product outdoors, make sure the product is approved and marked "for outdoor use."
Turn lights and other decorations off when you leave or go to bed. The lights could short out and start a fire.
Always have at least one fire extinguisher available, and know how to use it.

ESFI reminds everyone that electricity is a powerful tool that can quickly become a lethal hazard. While better safety standards have reduced the occurrence of electrical hazards that cause deaths, injuries, and property damage, responsible safety habits remains the most effective tools in protecting against electrical hazards.

The Electrical Safety Foundation International (ESFI) is the leading authority on electrical safety issues. Our mission is to reduce electrically-related deaths and injuries through public education that keeps electrical safety at the forefront in people's mind. ESFI provides the general public, school children, and the workforce with the resources necessary to aid in the prevention of deadly electrical accidents.