Four bulbs are red on the Fire Department's holiday wreath.
(WTAQ-WLUK) — It’s a sign of the season when area fire departments hang their wreaths to promote fire safety during the holidays.
Appleton and Green Bay Fire Departments will hang wreaths with green bulbs outside fire station locations.
The town of Buchanan Fire & Rescue will host a “Keep the Wreath Green” lighting event Friday at the Buchanan Town Hall from 6:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. The wreath will be lit at 7:15 p.m.
If a residential or commercial fire occurs in their jurisdiction, a green light will be replaced with a red one. The goal is to keep the wreaths green through New Year’s Day by following safety tips.
The holiday season is a particularly active time for fire departments due to added decorative lighting, candle usage, holiday trees and decorations, increased cooking, and extra family guests. These factors elevate the risk of fires, making vigilance especially important.
Keep these safety tips in mind and practice throughout the year:
- Make sure you have working smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors within the home.
- Plan and practice an escape plan with everyone in the home, including children and pets.
- Keep matches and lighters up high, out of reach of children. Use child safety locks on cabinets.
- Keep space heaters at least 3 feet away from anything that can burn and turn them off when you leave the room or go to bed.
Cooking appliances, most commonly a stove or range, are the leading cause of home fires in the United States. Not surprisingly, they also rank number 1 for fire related injuries in the home. Almost all cooking fires can be prevented by following these simple safety measures:
- Stay in the kitchen while cooking.
- Use a timer to help remind you that you are cooking.
- If you have a small (grease) cooking fire on the stovetop, smother the flames by sliding a lid over the pan and turn off the burner. When in doubt, get out and call 911.
When dealing with holiday decorations:
- Never place your real or artificial Christmas tree close to a heat source such as a fireplace or heat vent. The heat can dry out the tree, causing it to be more easily ignited by heat, flames or sparks.
- If you have a real tree, it’s important to water your tree everyday.
- Inspect holiday lights each year and replace string lights that have worn or broken cords or loose bulb connections. You should also put your lights in places they are manufactured to go. Some lights specify whether they are for indoor or outdoor use.
- As you hang your outdoor lights, never overload your electrical outlets and do not link more than three light strands unless the directions say it is safe to do so.
- Check your decorations when they are in use. If they are warm to the touch, unplug them. Be sure to turn off lights on trees and other decorations when going to bed or leaving the house and unplug extension cords when they are not in use.
- Never leave a burning candle unattended and make sure they are kept at least a foot away from things that can burn. You can also consider using battery-operated flameless candles.
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