WASHINGTON - With holiday preparations under way, Pepco reminds customers that a safety check of decorative lighting before installation can provide peace of mind and a safe holiday.

Holiday decorations lift spirits and beautify communities, but when improperly placed they can become a hazard. Each year, there are approximately 200 fires and 25 injuries resulting from Christmas tree fires during the holiday season, according to the U.S. Fire Administration. Most holiday fires can easily be prevented.

• Pepco offers the following holiday-decorating safety tips:
• Test your smoke alarms when entertaining guests and share with them your home fire escape plan.
• Do not place your tree close to a heat source, including a fireplace or heat vent.
• Never put Christmas tree branches or needles in a fireplace or wood burning stove.
• When the tree becomes dry, discard it promptly. The best way to dispose of your tree is to take it to a recycling center or have it collected by a community pick-up service.
• Inspect holiday lights each year for frayed wire, bare spots, gaps in the insulation, broken or cracked sockets, and excessive kinking or wear.
• Use only lighting certified by nationally recognized laboratories such as UL, CSA or ETL-SEMCO.
• Do not overload outlets. Avoid using lit candles.
• Never leave the house with candles burning or holiday lights unattended.

For more holiday safety tips, go to pepco.com or read the December issue of Lines, the company's customer newsletter mailed monthly with energy bills.

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Pepco, a subsidiary of Pepco Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: POM), delivers safe, reliable and affordable electric service to more than 750,000 customers in Maryland and the District of Columbia.