Community Corner

Westwood Fire Dept. Offers Holiday Safety Tips

Find out how to protect your home from fires this month to ensure a safe and happy holiday.

Only a week remains until Christmas Eve is here, but that doesn't mean the dangers are nearly over for anyone with a Christmas tree this year. 

Fear not - the has offered a few tips on how to keep your home safe from Christmas tree fires during the holidays. 

"A Christmas tree fire can be a horrendous thing. The sound is ferocious," said Westwood Deputy Fire Chief Mike Reardon. "The heat that's given off is absolutely ferocious."

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So how to you stay safe? Whenever you leave the house, be sure to unplug the lights on the tree, and ensure that no candles or open flames from a fireplace or wood stove are nearby.

"Keep the (trees) watered," Reardon said. "Make sure the lights are good and aren't ancient."

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Fire departments across the country responded to an average of 240 home fires that began with Christmas trees between 2005 and 2009, according to the National Fire Protection Agency's website. While such fires are not common, they can be serious when they do occur, according to NFPA.  (See video to the right for an example of a Christmas tree fire from the National Fire Protection Agency.)

While Reardon said the Westwood Fire Department has not seen many reports of Christmas tree fires in recent memory, the dangers are always present.  

As an example, newer, LCD-based lights burn at a lower temperature than traditional lights, Reardon said. 

Below are more safety tips from the NFPA:

  • Use lights that have the label of an independent testing laboratory. Some lights are only for indoor or outdoor use, but not both.
  • Replace any string of lights with worn or broken cords or loose bulb connections. Connect no more than three strands of mini string sets and a maximum of 50 bulbs for screw-in bulbs. Read manufacturer’s instructions for number of LED strands to connect.
  • Never use lit candles to decorate the tree.


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