As everyone begins to take down Christmas lights and store decorations, fire officials are reminding the public of safe storage tips.

"It's not uncommon to see residents keeping lights nad Christmas trees up past December," said Lorraine Carli, vice president of communications for the National Fire Protection Association. "The reality is, continued use of seasonal lighting and dried-out Christmas trees can pose significant fire hazards in and outside the home."

City of Rocky Mount residents can put their dried Christmas trees at the curb with their trash on the normal day of collection as long as all ornaments, lights and other decorations have been removed. The trees are then recycled into mulch, which is provided for free to residents in the spring.

When storing your lights, make sure to unplug the strings at the plug to avoid harming the wire and insulation of the cord.

As you wrap lights around a piece of cardboard or put them in individual plastic bags, inspect each string and trash any sets that have loose connections, broken sockets or cracked/bare wires.

Store electrical decorations in a dry place where they cannot be damaged by water or dampness.