Fort Belvoir Fire and Emergency Services encourages everyone to be mindful of fire safety when maintaining a Christmas tree and putting up holiday lights.
Each year, fires during the holiday season claim lives and cause injuries, according to John Weaver, FES Fire Protection Specialist.
When choosing a real tree, people should bounce the trunk on the ground. Many needles falling off the tree indicates it is already dried out and is a fire hazard in your home. Additionally, trees should not be placed close to heat sources, including fireplaces or heat vents.
"You need to take special fire safety precautions when keeping a live tree in the house," Weaver said in a press release. "A burning tree can rapidly fill a room with fire and deadly gasses."
Live trees should not be left up longer than two weeks and the tree stand should be filled with water at all times, according to Weaver. Tree branches and needles should never be placed in a fireplace or burning stove. When your tree becomes dry, discard it quickly by taking it to a recycling center or by having community pick-up services haul it away.
People should never go near a tree with any type of open flame, including candles, lighters or matches, according to Weaver.
Fort Belvoir residents are required to have working smoke alarms. Residents can contact their housing management office or the installation Fire Marshall's Office at (703) 805-2091 if they are having problems with their smoke alarms. In case of an emergency, call FES at (703) 781-1800.
Many residents do not have fire escape plans for their private homes, according to Weaver. He suggested community members make a map of their homes and mark a door and window that can be used to get out of each room. They should choose a meeting place in front of the home and draw a picture of the meeting place on their escape plan.
People should also inspect their holiday lights each year before displaying them by checking for gaps in the insulation, broken or cracked sockets and excessive kinking or wear, among other problems. Only lighting that has been certified by an approved testing laboratory should be in use, according to Weaver.
Wrapping paper should be kept away from a fireplace because it can produce a chemical buildup that can cause an explosion. Only nonflammable holiday decorations should be used.
Social Sharing