APPLETON, WI (WTAQ) — Ah, the holidays. Cooking turkey, ham or duck if you’re feeling particularly festive, hanging Christmas lights, baking pie, lighting holiday candles–all symbols of the season…and all significant fire hazards.
“If you have anything that’s going to be drawing extra energy or like…lighting, make sure that everything is encase appropriately so that it’s safe,” Appleton Fire Department Battalion Chief Ryan Weyers told WTAQ.
According to the National Fire Protection Association, home fires occur most often in the winter, and it’s no surprise when people hang dangerous unencased lights or exposed wires right next to their Christmas trees or leave the stove on too long.
“You could do turkey in the oven, you could do ham in the oven, you could do the fried vegetables on top, with the oil,” Weyers said. “The oil is obviously something you have to be cognizant of. How much of it you’re using. If it’s splattering. If it’s leaking out of there”
The Appleton Fire Department’s “Keep the Wreath Green” campaign aims to raise awareness of holiday fires. On Tuesday, firefighters hung wreaths with green bulbs outside each Appleton fire station. Every time there is a commercial or residential fire within the city between now and New Year’s Day, the department will replace a green bulb with a red one. The goal of the campaign is to promote fire safety and reduce the number of fires during the holiday season. In 2018, there were five red bulbs. The fewest number of red bulbs occurred in 2011 with one red bulb.
The National Fire Protection Association reccommends the following for a fire-safe holiday:
- Be careful with holiday decorations. Choose decorations that are flame resistant or flame retardant.
- Keep lit candles away from decorations and other things that can burn.
- Some lights are only for indoor or outdoor use, but not both.
- Replace any string of lights with worn or broken cords or loose bulb connections.
- Read manufacturer’s instructions for number of light strands to connect.
- Use clips, not nails, to hang lights so the cords do not get damaged.
- Keep decorations away from windows and doors.
- Test your smoke alarms and tell guests about your home fire escape plan.
- Keep children and pets away from lit candles.
- Keep matches and lighters up high in a locked cabinet.
- Stay in the kitchen when cooking on the stovetop.
- Ask smokers to smoke outside. Remind smokers to keep their smoking materials with them so young children do not touch them. Provide large, deep ashtrays for smokers. Wet cigarette butts with water before discarding
