Homes in Stockton: Keep Your Family Safe this 2011 Christmas Season
Keep Your Family Safe this Christmas Season
- The U.S. Fire Administration
(USFA) reports more than double the number of open-flame fires on
Christmas Day than on an average day, and about twice as many on New
Year’s Day.
- Property loss during a
holiday fire is 34 percent greater than in an average fire, and the number
of fatalities per thousand fires is nearly 70 percent higher.
- If the source of the fire is
a highly flammable Christmas tree, the toll in property and lives is even
greater.
- It takes less than 30
seconds for a dry tree to engulf a room in flames, according to the
Building and Fire Research Laboratory of the National Institute for
Standards and Technology.
- To minimize risk, buy a fresh tree with intact
needles, get a fresh cut on the trunk, and water it every day. A
well-watered tree is almost impossible to ignite. Keep the tree away from
heat sources, such as a fireplace or radiator, and out of traffic
patterns. If using live garlands and other greenery, keep them at least
three feet away from heating sources. No matter how well the tree is
watered, it will start to dry out after about four weeks.
The Team of Hugh Lilly and Maria Estrada wish you a Safe and Joyful Holiday.