JOINT BASE LEWIS-MCCHORD, Wash. – Joint Base Lewis-McChord has been fortunate to not have any a house fires so far this year and the JBLM Directorate of Fire and Emergency Services want to keep it that way.
Here are some helpful tips to ensure this season is filled with great memories:
- Stay in the kitchen while cooking;
- Never leave children unattended in the kitchen;
- If you have a grease fire; never use water to put it out;
- Always call 911 in the event of emergency — even on base.
By now, holiday decorations like trees, candles and coverings are all setup, but ensure they do not block any exit paths. Some things to think about are:
- Keep trees at a minimum of three feet from any heat source;
- Don’t attach decorations to doors that may cause trouble while exiting;
- Shut off electrical decorations when not at home;
- Ensure electrical lights are in good repair.
During the Christmas season, roughly one of five house fires start from electrical decorations, and the National Fire Protection Association reports more than a third of those start from candles.
NFPA statistics show fire departments responded to at least 7,400 house fires started by candles, causing an average of 90 deaths and $291 million in direct property damages since 2015.
While it is a hectic time, don’t forget all the hard work to make wonderful family memories can become bad ones in the blink of an eye.
For more information or fire safety tips, call 253-966-7156 or follow JBLM Emergency Services on Facebook.
For more JBLM News, click here.
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