Southern Volunteer Fire Department

   This time of year is one of the deadliest.  There seems to be a lot more home fires during the holidays than just about any other time.  A lot of this can be prevented by homeowners, if they would just take some simple steps to be better prepared and to help prevent the fires from taking place.

   Christmas trees account for 200 fires annually, resulting in 6 deaths, 25 injuries and more than $6 million in property damage.  There are many reasons for Christmas tree fires, but the biggest problem in not proper care for a live Christmas tree.  The first rule to follow when having a live Christmas tree is to be sure give it plenty of water during the holidays.  When you water the tree, you keep it alive and green, which does not stop fires, but makes them harder to start and grow.  This is how they act in nature, but a dry tree will catch fire and burn very quickly.  Well-watered trees are not a problem. Dry and neglected trees can be.

    The video clip below from the Building and Fire Research Laboratory of the National Institute of Standards and Technology illustrates what happens when fire touches a dry tree. Within three seconds of ignition, the dry Scotch pine is completely ablaze. At five seconds, the fire extends up the tree and black smoke with searing gases streaks across the ceiling. Fresh air near the floor feeds the fire. The sofa, coffee table and the carpet ignite prior to any flame contact. Within 40 seconds "flashover" occurs - that's when an entire room erupts into flames, oxygen is depleted and dense, deadly toxic smoke engulfs the scene.

   Wet trees tell a different story. For comparative purposes, the NIST fire safety engineers selected a green Scotch pine, had it cut in their presence, had an additional two inches cut from the trunk's bottom, and placed the tree in a stand with at least a 7.6 liter water capacity. The researchers maintained the Scotch pine's water on a daily basis. A single match could not ignite the tree. A second attempt in which an electric current ignited an entire matchbook failed to fire the tree. Finally they applied an open flame to the tree using a propane torch. The branches ignited briefly, but self-extinguished when the researchers removed the torch from the branches. As NIST fire safety engineers say: REMEMBER, A WET TREE IS A SAFE TREE!

   Be sure to check your Christmas lights before using them on your trees or home.  They should be inspected to be sure that they are working properly, have no bare wires, all bulbs are working and no other visible wear or tear that might present a problem.  Shorts and bare wires on strings of lights can quickly start a fire that may go unnoticed for a period of time while you are away from home or even sleeping.  This might be a good year to consider changing to a new, safer and more energy efficient Christmas light.  In this case, we are talking about the newer LED (Light Emitting Diode) lights.  These Christmas lights come in all your favorite colors, include clear and in several style/sizes.  Whether you are looking for th small bulbs to go on your tree or the larger C7 bulbs for your house, you can get them in LED format. 

    LED lights not only provide you with the lights and colors you want in your home during the holidays, but they help you to reduce your energy usage of regular bulbs, savings you on average of $20 or more for a 30 day use of lights.  They also produce no to very little heat, which helps to prevent fires on Christmas trees and else where in your home.  Here is 10 reasons to change to LED lights for Christmas:

1. Added safety - Lamps always remain cool to the touch. Because holiday lighting is often used in close proximately to combustible materials (dry evergreen trees) this feature can greatly reduce the risk of holiday fires.
2. Solid-state reliability. No longer will you have to worry about one lamp ruing your whole string.
3. Longevity - L.E.D. lamps are rated for up to 200,000 hours of use while standard incandescent lights typically last for only 2,000 hours.
4. No glass bulbs to break. LED lights are encased in an nearly indestructible epoxy casing.
5. No filaments to burn out. Unlike incandescent bulbs there is not filament to burn out so they last much longer and won't be damage or ruined if you drop them or step on them.
6. Extreme energy efficiency, uses only 10% of the electricity required to power traditional incandescent. For a typical household this will mean a cost savings of $20.00 or more during the standard 30 day holiday season.
7. Nearly indestructible, solid epoxy lenses. High-quality LED lights can withstand the force of a tractor trailer without breaking.
8. Rust proof, Zinc-coated lamp contacts. The lamp components will not rust when used outdoors or in moist environments.
9. Uses standard house current (120 VAC, 60 Hz). No need for an electrician or expensive power converters.
10. No transformer required. Allows for simple installation and use.

    If your family is like most, you place your gifts under the tree.  This can be a fire hazard if they come into contact with hot Christmas lights on the tree or placed to close to fireplaces.  Consider where your presents are placed and any hazards that are around them.  Try to limit their placement until just before Christmas or even on Christmas Eve in an effort to better protect them, this might also keep would be robbers from breaking into your home and stealing your gifts.  This is always a time of year for higher home break-ins.

    By now, you should have changed the battery in your smoke detector.  If not, this is a great time to do it.  By making sure that you have a new battery or even a new detector, if yours is older than 9 or 10 years, you will be providing safety to your family and visitors in your home these holidays.  Check your fire extinguishers or if you don't have one, go to your local home improvement store and pick up a couple to have around your house.  If you don't know how to use your fire extinguisher, find out about taking a class from your local fire department or CERT (community emergency response team) group.

    Depending on where you live, it might be mild weather or extremely cold, but one thing to remember is never use your stove to heat your home.  They are not deisgned for such, can cause fumes to be given off that are harmful to humans or can produce enough heat to start a fie.  Stoves from only be used for cooking and never for heating a home.

   Space heaters are another source of danger in a home.  Always follow the directions that come with your heater.  Be sure that the one you have has a built in tilt switch, that turns it off if it turns over.  Never place a space heater under a blanket, bed or other confined space where it can create a fire.  Always keep material, clothing, drapes, bedding and other flammable items away from space heaters.  Many people lose their lives and/or homes to space heater fires each year.  By following the directions, you help to protect your family and home.

   There are many other things that can be done to help protect your home and family during the holidays, just take a moment to do a search online for holiday safety or holiday fire prevention.  By taking a little bit of extra time to research and prepare, you can better enjoy your holidays with little fear.