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By Chief Michael Kane, Fire Department
Hurricane Season ends November 30th. While it is late in the hurricane season, there is still a potential of a late season storm. Now is not the time to be complacent. Ensure that you have enough supplies for you and your family for at least three days as storms can easily disrupt power transfer stations which supply homes as well as bring down trees which can reduce or obstruct the ability to commute.
BE SAFE THIS HOLIDAY SEASON
The holiday season should be a time of enjoyment and celebration. The safety of our residents is of the utmost importance. Please take the time to prepare your home for the upcoming holiday and make safety your highest priority. Festive celebrations, flickering lights and winter greens are hallmarks of the holiday season, but they also present fire risks that can quickly turn this festive time of year into a devastating one. The National Fire Protection Agency’s Project Holiday campaign works to educate the public about potential fire risks during the holidays, offering tip sheets, videos, and other resources to help everyone safely enjoy the season.
Winter holiday fires by the numbers
• Electrical distribution or lighting equipment was involved in 35% of home Christmas tree fires.
• One-fifth (20%) of the decoration fires started in the kitchen. One out of six (17%) started in the living room, family room or den.
• The top three days for home candle fires were Christmas, New Year’s Day, and Christmas Eve.
Holiday decorations
U.S. fire departments responded to an estimated average of 860 home structure fires per year that began with decorations, excluding Christmas trees, in 2009-2013. These fires caused an annual average of one civilian fire death, 41 civilian fire injuries and $13.4 million in direct property damage.
Candles
Candles started 38% of home decoration structure fires.
Holiday cooking
• Thanksgiving is the peak day for home cooking fires, followed by Christmas Day and Christmas Eve.
• Cooking equipment was involved in 18% of home decoration fires. This can happen when a decoration is left on or too close to a stove or other cooking equipment.
