Holiday Hazards

By BethAnne Brink-Cox House and Home Writer

Remember the illustrations in old storybooks of a Christmas tree decorated with gingerbread cookies, popcorn and cranberries, and…lit candles? Those days, beautiful as they were, are long gone, and with good reason. But that doesn’t mean you can’t have wonderful decorations for the holidays; it just means you have to do it carefully and wisely. Aaron Bolinger, assistant fire chief at Warsaw’s Wayne Territory Station 2, told us how.

Christmas lights are quite different from the old style, the ones that got so hot a strand of tinsel would melt across it (and when’s the last time you saw strands of tinsel on a tree these days, now that we know our pets and kids will eat it?) “LED lights are safer. They do not draw as much power, and they are cooler to the touch, as well,” said Bolinger. Those hot strings of lights, coupled with live trees that might or might not have been watered enough, were often blamed for fires at Christmas time. And while many families choose artificial trees, for any number of reasons, Bolinger said “Live trees are still popular. The thing is to keep them watered! If the needles are showing brown and brittle, that tree isn’t taking in any more water. If you haven’t cut the tree yourself, cut two inches off the trunk of the tree, so it’s a fresh cut.” And a not-so-wellknown trick: immerse the trunk of the tree in a bucket of boiling water for five minutes before putting it into the stand (being careful, of course, to keep children and pets away from it and also making sure the bucket is heavy enough it won’t tip over.) This opens up the pores of the trunk even further, allowing it to absorb more water. You should check the water levels in the morning and evening.

So you’ve got your tree cut, and drinking lots of water; what next? Bolinger says to be careful with your lights. “Stay away from power strips, and don’t talk to me about those skinny little brown cords! I mean, I’ve seen those used as household wiring! Almost a third of fires are started by electrical problems. You need to use an extension cord that is sized for the power you’re going to be giving it. “ Common household extension cords are available in 16 gauge, which is the smallest, through 14, 12 and 10 gauge, which is the largest. The lower the number, the bigger the gauge and the greater the amperage and wattage is. Bolinger continued, “Make sure you’re using the right lights in the right places. There are some meant for indoor use, some for outdoor use, and you need to use them as recommended. You also need to replace any strings that are broken or frayed. And you need to hang them properly: use clips, not nails.” guidelines too. “Don’t block any doorway with a Christmas tree. Keep lit candles away from decorations, curtains and anything else that can burn. More than a third of seasonal fires are caused by candles! And keep those matches locked securely in a high, out of reach place. Choose only holiday decorations that are flame resistant and flame retardant. Two of every five fires start because things are too close to a heat source: a Christmas tree should be at least three feet from any heat source.”

As any good fire chief or firefighter would tell you–and Bolinger did–use the common sense principles you should have in place 24/7. “Make sure your smoke detectors have fresh batteries, make sure your fire extinguishers are charged, and be sure everyone in the house knows the safest, swiftest escape plan. ALWAYS turn off the lights when you are leaving your house and before going to bed.” (Don’t worry, Santa can safely find his way through in the dark. It’s part of his magic.)

Merry Christmas, everyone. Stay safe and enjoy every minute. n