Fire Marshal Provides

Holiday Safety Tips

The town fire marshal’s office is providing some safety tips for the holiday season to prevent fires from occurring.

Before installing a natural Christmas tree, a saw cut should be made in the tree’s trunk above the trunk’s original cut. Tap water should be placed in the tree stand in which the tree is placed. The cut end of the tree must remain below the water level in the stand to ensure that the tree takes up water to keep it fresh.

Trees should be displayed in a stable manner. Guy wires may be needed to support large trees.

Natural trees with root balls should have their root balls moistened daily.

Natural trees should remain indoors only as long as they are fresh. Water levels should be checked daily. Cut trees last a maximum of ten days, even when properly watered.

Trees and decorations must be located a safe distance from heat sources such as heaters, fireplaces, stoves, television sets, and candles.

Never decorate a Christmas tree with candles.

Candles should always be isolated and placed on an oversized plate, well away from any decorations or greens.

Overloaded electrical outlets and faulty wiring are a common cause of holiday fires. Worn electrical equipment should be replaced. Avoid overloading electrical outlets. Use multioutlet power strips as needed.

Electric lights should be in good condition. Only lighting designated for a specific purpose by a recognized testing laboratory should be used.

Lighting should be turned off or disconnected when an area is unattended, especially when people are asleep at home.