Holiday Safety

With the Holiday and Christmas season in full swing, we just wanted to take a moment to remind everyone to keep their Christmas trees properly watered and to remember not to overload outlets with too many strands of lights or other extra cords.

The video below shows the difference in burning between a dry Christmas tree and one that has been properly watered and maintained.  As you can see, the difference is very drastic.




In fact, fires caused by Christmas trees have lead to the following statistics:

• Between 2007-2011, U.S. fire departments responded to an average of 230 home fires that started with Christmas trees per year. These fires caused an average of 6 deaths, 22 injuries, and $18.3 million in direct property damage annually.
• On average, one of every 40 reported home fires that began with a Christmas tree resulted in a death, compared to an average of one death per 142 total reported home fires.
• Electrical problems were factors in one-third (32%0 of home Christmas tree structure fires.
• Two of every five (39%) home Christmas tree fires started in the living room, family room, or den.

Overloading electrical circuits is another leading cause of fire during this time of year so please be mindful of overloading outlets and circuit breakers.  We wish everyone the best during this holiday season and hope that you all have a safe and merry time with family and friends.  

On behalf of everyone at the Glen Lake Fire Department,

Stay Safe and Have a Happy Holiday Season!