Holiday Safety Tips From The Fire Marshal

The Newtown Fire Marshal’s Office would like to extend a safe and happy holiday to all residents and business owners of Newtown and is offering the following holiday safety tips.

Before natural trees are set up, the trunk should be sawed above the original cut, set in stand, and tap water added. This initial fresh cut opens up the sap channels in the trees so that it can take in the water. Keep your tree stand water level above the cut in the trunk to prevent the tree from forming a sap seal. A sap sealed tree trunk will not draw water that is needed for it to remain fresh.

All trees should be held upright in sturdy stands having a base that is sufficiently broad to effectively support the tree. Guy wires may be needed to steady oversized trees.

Natural trees having root balls should be moistened daily and cut trees should be placed in containers of water sufficient to provide at least a one-day supply. A one-gallon capacity container is recommended.

Natural trees should remain indoors only for as long a period of time as they are fresh. Cut trees are thirsty! They may drink from two pints to a gallon of water per day, so make sure to check the water level daily and supply fresh water as needed. A maximum of ten days is suggested for cut trees.

All trees and decorations should be located a safe distance from sources of heat such as heaters, fireplaces, stoves, television sets, candles, and the like. Never decorate your tree with candles!

Candles are one of the leading causes of structure fires in the United States. During the holidays the number of fires that are the result from candles is unbelievable. Candles should always be placed on an oversized plate, and never put greens and decorations around them.

Overloaded electrical outlets and faulty wires are a common cause of holiday related accidents. Worn-out electrical cords and plugs should be replaced. Avoid too many plugs in one outlet. Use multioutlet power strips when running many applications or decorative light screens.

All sources of electric lighting, both direct and indirect, should be in good condition and consist of equipment that has been tested and labeled or listed for the specific purpose by a recognized testing laboratory. All lighting should be turned off or better yet, disconnected, when the area is unattended. This is especially important in residential occupancies when the occupants are asleep.