November’s warm weather has yielded more elaborate holiday lighting displays throughout the state. Fire officials like Bob Platts of Mason City say you should check to ensure the power cords aren’t overloaded.Platts, who’s the deputy fire chief in Mason City, has a warning about “live” Christmas trees, too.Platts says every home should have a smoke detector — and he urges Iowans to think about installing a carbon monoxide protector, too.Platts worries about timers on a lit Christmas tree, especially a real evergreen. He recommends turning the lights off yourself before you go to bed.
