Holiday decorating enthusiasts who attended last week's holiday fire safety program, presented by the Traverse City Fire Department, will look at their joyful surroundings with a keen eye for potential hazards.
"Our goal is to make people aware of situations around their house that could turn the holidays into a tragedy,” said presenter Nicholas Eland, a firefighter and fire inspector with the city department.
Noting that Christmas trees are among the most popular decorations of yuletide, Eland pointed out that one out of every 22 Christmas tree fires in homes resulted in a death, according to the National Fire Protection Association.
"It is so important to use safe decorations and take proper care of your tree,” Eland said, outlining the following safety precautions to be taken with Christmas trees.
n Regularly check your tree for fresh, green needles. Trees that have dried out over
several weeks burn faster than fresher, well-watered ones.
n Make sure your tree stand holds at least one gallon of water. As a general rule, stands should provide one quart of water per inch of trunk diameter. The average six-foot tree can consume as much as a gallon of water per day.
n Keep your tree at least three feet from fireplaces, radiators, space heaters, heating vents and other sources of heat. Don't place the tree where it blocks an exit.
n Use only non-flammable decorations.
n A cut tree should not be kept indoors for more than two weeks.
n Never put tree branches, needles or wrapping paper in a fireplace or woodstove.
n Discard dry trees promptly.
To demonstrate the potential calamitous hazard a dry Christmas tree can become, a tree left just three days without water, was ignited when a firefighter lit a package placed underneath the tree. The tree was fully engulfed in flames in less than five minutes.
Eland also spoke about the potential hazards of candles and space heaters, how to use a fire extinguisher, the importance of smoke detectors and these guidelines for holiday lighting:
n Look for the UL Mark on light strings, electrical decorations and extension cords.
n Ensure outside lights, decorations and extension cords are rated for outside use. Lights intended for indoor-only use bear green holographic UL Marks. Light strings intended for indoor and outdoor use bear red holographic UL Marks.
n Carefully inspect each electrical decoration - new or old - before plugging it in. Cracked sockets, frayed, bare or loose wires can cause a serious electric shock or start a fire. Replace damaged items with new, UL-Listed decorations.
n Don't use staples or nails to hang light strings. Use plastic hooks or clips designed for hanging light strings.
n Check packaging to determine the maximum number of strings that may be connected or use this rule of thumb: Connect a maximum of three midget (push-in bulbs) light strings or up to 50 bulbs of light strings with the screw-in bulbs (C7s and C9s).
n Don't overload extension cords by plugging in too many decorations.
n Turn off all electrical lights and decorations before leaving home or going to bed.
n Read and follow the manufacturer's instructions for electrical decorations.
The Traverse City Fire Department will continue presenting monthly safety programs including:
n Winter Weather Safety, 6:30 p.m., Thursday, January 4. This program will focus on winter weather emergencies in northern Michigan, recognizing winter weather threats, developing an action plan and life saving actions when winter weather arrives.
n Child Fire Safety Night, 6:30 p.m., Thursday, February 1. Bring your child and be part of learning fire safety lessons with Sparky The Dog. There will be coloring books and games for each child.
For more information, call firefighter Nick Eland at 922-4930 ext 5.