As the first cool breezes of fall rustle the leaves that are beginning to turn from green to vibrant hues of red, gold and orange, we begin to think of all the fun family activities and events autumn will bring.

Before long, the holiday season approaches, the days get shorter, and our to-do lists get longer. It’s important to not lose sight of safety, even during busy days, family gatherings or holiday preparations. Entergy Louisiana and Entergy New Orleans offer these tips for keeping your family safe through it all.

Fall is a good time to remember furnaces, fireplaces and the flu, so you can stay warm, safe and well. 

Before the cool temperatures turn cold, the National Fire Protection Association reminds us how to stay comfortable without sacrificing safety:

• Have heating equipment and chimneys cleaned and inspected every year by a qualified professional.
• Never use the oven to heat your home.
• Remember to turn the portable heaters off when leaving the room or going to bed.
• Have a three-foot “kid-free zone” around open fires and space heaters.
• Test smoke alarms at least once a month.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention provides these tips for avoiding the flu:

• Each person should get the influenza vaccine appropriate for their age.
• September and October are generally good times to be vaccinated against the flu and, ideally, everyone should be vaccinated by the end of October. So, get your shot before showing off your Halloween costume.

Dressing up, collecting candy and protecting your eyes are all part of a happy Halloween.  

The Food and Drug Administration, the Consumer Product Safety Commission, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention offer these tips for a safe and fun spooky season:

• Dress up safely by wearing bright, reflective costumes that say “flame resistant” on the label. If your costume is dark, add reflective tape to be more visible. Wear makeup and hats rather than costume masks that can obscure your vision. Caution: make sure the vibrantly colored makeup is non-toxic by checking the FDA’s list of approved color additives.
• Don’t wear decorative (colored) contact lenses that appear to change how your eyes look due to the risk of eye injury.
• Remind children not to eat any candy until it has been inspected at home. A snack before trick-or-treating can help prevent nibbling. Parents should inspect commercially wrapped treats for signs of tampering, such as an unusual appearance or discoloration, tiny pinholes, or tears in wrappers. Throw away anything that looks suspicious.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration provides safety tips for drivers and pedestrians:

• Drivers should be alert for trick-or-treaters and other pedestrians, slow down and scan the road. Children may be unaware of traffic and dart into the street unexpectedly.
• Pedestrians should create a “buddy system” to get each other home safely and follow all the rules of the road, obeying signs and signals and crossing streets at crosswalks or intersections. Remember to look for cars in all directions.

November brings shorter days and cozy family gatherings. A few precautions can ensure everyone stays safe.

This year, daylight saving time will end on Sunday, Nov. 2 at 2 a.m., so before you go to bed on Saturday night, set your clocks back one hour. The CDC offers these tips to help you adjust:

• It may take one week for the body to adjust, so reduce demanding physical and mental tasks as much as possible.
• Be vigilant while driving. You and others around you may be drowsy and less alert than usual. Shorter days mean fewer daylight hours and less visibility on the roads.
• A reminder from the National Safety Council: When you change your clocks, it’s also a great time to check the batteries in your smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors.

From turkey to tree-lighting, stay safe during family celebrations.

Thanksgiving is a wonderful time to gather with friends and family, but having guests can also be distracting, causing a cook to be less attentive than usual. According to the National Fire Protection Association, Thanksgiving is the peak day for home cooking fires, with more than three times the daily average for such incidents. NFPA offers these suggestions:

• Stay in the kitchen when you are cooking on the stove so you can keep an eye on the food.
• Stay in the home when cooking your turkey and check on it frequently.
• Keep children away from the stove and keep knives out of their reach.
• Be sure electric cords from an electric knife, coffee maker, plate warmer or mixer are not dangling off the counter within easy reach of a child.
• Keep the floor clear so you don’t trip over kids, toys or bags.

NFPA also cautions that the use of turkey fryers that use oil are not safe and advises that, if a fried turkey is on your Thanksgiving menu, you should purchase it from a grocery store or restaurant or buy a fryer that does not use oil.

As soon as the last of the leftover Thanksgiving turkey goes in the fridge, some families begin pulling out the Christmas decorations. Twinkling lights add a festive touch both inside and out, but NFPA cautions that electrical distribution or lighting equipment was involved in more than 41% of home Christmas tree fires.

Following these NFPA tips can help ensure you enjoy your Christmas trees and holidays lights safely:

• If decorating a fresh Christmas tree, choose a tree with fresh, green needles that do not fall off when touched and cut two inches from the base of the trunk before placing the tree in the stand.
• Make sure the tree is not blocking an exit and add water to the tree stand daily.
• Use lights that are listed by a qualified testing laboratory. Some lights are only for indoor or outdoor use, but not both.
• Use clips, not nails, to hang lights so the cords do not get damaged.
• Replace any string of lights with worn or broken cords or loose bulb connections. Read manufacturer’s instructions for number of light strands to connect.
• For outdoor lighting, Ground-fault circuit interrupter protection is essential. Plugging into GFCI receptacles provides added protection against electrical shocks.
• Always turn off Christmas tree lights before leaving home or going to bed.

The year closes out with New Year’s Eve celebrations, which often involve fireworks. The Consumer Product Safety Commission offers these reminders for staying safe:

• Never allow children to play with or ignite fireworks, including sparklers.
• Make sure fireworks are legal in your area before buying or using them.
• Keep a bucket of water or a garden hose handy in case of fire or other mishap.
• Light fireworks one at a time, then move back quickly.
• Never try to re-light or pick up fireworks that have not ignited fully.
• Never use fireworks while impaired by alcohol or drugs.

For more information, visit BillToolkit.entergy.com for the tools and resources you need to understand your bill, reduce your usage or look for assistance programs and services available to you.