JACKSON, Miss. — This is the time of year when many of us pull holiday decorations out of the attic and make plans for meaningful time with children, family and friends. At Entergy Mississippi, Inc., we want to share important safety and energy-saving tips as you light up the season.

“We care about your safety, so our most important message to you is to respect electricity at all times,” said Janine Brooks, a senior safety specialist at Entergy Mississippi, Inc. “If you’re putting up outdoor lights, stay away from overhead power lines and the line that brings service to your home. Use a fiberglass or wooden ladder that doesn’t conduct electricity. If you have a live tree inside, make sure it stays fresh and green – the needles should be hard to pull off.

“And always inspect your lights before you use them – if the cords are worn or frayed, throw them away.”

Statistics from the National Fire Protection Association show an estimated 260 structure fires are caused by Christmas trees each year, and another 170 are caused by faulty holiday lights. Together they caused 21 deaths in 2009.

“Following safety guidelines can make sure you and your family stay safe and that you get to enjoy this time with those you care about,” said Gloria Johnson, customer service director for Entergy Mississippi.

Johnson added that energy-efficient lighting also can save customers money on their electricity costs, which goes a long way this time of year.

“Finances get tight this time of year for most of us,” Johnson said. “We care about helping you keep your electricity costs as low as possible, and using lights that use less power can help. LED bulbs are a popular choice for holiday decorating and save electricity. In fact, they use up to 90 percent less energy than an incandescent or traditional bulb to produce the same amount of light.”

For example, the amount of electricity just one seven-watt incandescent bulb consumes could power 140 LED bulbs – enough to light two 24-foot strings. Many ENERGY STAR-qualified decorative lights feature LED technology. For more information, visit energystar.gov.

So from our families to yours – be safe, save energy and have a happy holiday season! Click here for an illustrated version of the Holiday Lighting Safety Tips, which are also listed below:

Inside lighting:

• If using a live tree, make sure it is fresh and green, with needles that are hard to pull from the branches.

• Place the tree in a stand with water, well away from heaters or the fireplace. Check water daily.

• Examine all lights before putting them on the tree or using them in other home decorations. Do not use lights with frayed wiring or loose sockets, and make sure they have been tested for safety by an independent testing laboratory.

• For greater efficiency and safety, use smaller, cool-burning LED lights.

• Make sure all light sockets have bulbs in them. Children are fascinated by lights and could put their fingers in empty sockets.

• Keep bulbs from touching tree branches. Never burn candles on or near the tree and never use flammable decorations.

• Never use lights on a metallic tree. If the lights become faulty, the entire tree could be electrified.

• Be careful not to overload extension cords, outlets or even whole circuits in the house.

• Turn off decorative lighting when you leave the room.

• Place wires where they can not trip anyone. Do not run them under rugs.

Outside lighting:

• Make sure the lights used are designated for outdoor use.

• Use a nonconducting fiberglass or wooden ladder when working with strings of lights. Also, stay clear of all overhead wires.

• Do not replace bulbs when the electricity is on.

• Never let light bulbs touch flammable materials such as plastic or dry grass and leaves.

• For outside use, work only with three-wire grounded extension cords.

• Use rubber gaskets in light sockets or hang sockets downward to keep water out.

• Keep connections and lights off the ground by hanging them over wooden stakes.

• Turn outside holiday lights off when away from home or asleep.

Entergy Mississippi, Inc. provides electricity to more than 435,000 customers in 45 counties. It is a subsidiary of Entergy Corporation. 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, and it is the second-largest nuclear generator in the United States. Entergy delivers electricity to 2.7 million utility customers in Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas.

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Twitter: @EntergyMS