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Raising Awareness Of Christmas Tree Fires

Photo by Alec Berry Barry Crow of the Osiris Shriners, left, Assistant Wheeling Fire Chief Ed Geisel, center, and fire department spokesman Philip Stahl discuss Christmas tree fires.

To avert an unsuspected cause of fires, the Wheeling Fire Department will raise awareness this holiday season of the dangers inherent in live Christmas trees.

The department, in partnership with the Osiris Shriners, will distribute reading material through local tree venders to inform the public of simple preventable measures. According to the National Fire Protection Association, annually an estimated 200 fires nationwide start by way of Christmas trees, causing an average of 10 deaths and $17 million in property damage.

A demonstration by the NFPA, shown in a video presented at a recent press conference, depicted how in only 10 seconds an unwatered, dried out tree can engulf a living room in a blaze.

“I can’t reiterate it enough,” Assistant Fire Chief Ed Geisel said. “I like live trees, but keep them away from stairways, keep them away from exits.”

First and foremost, the Wheeling Fire Department recommends maintaining the tree by watering it daily. While a hydrated tree can still catch fire, it takes significantly more time to burn. Geisel said it’s best to cut an inch or so away from the trunk of the tree just prior to bringing it inside, in order to discard the dry end and enable sap to drip into its stand.

Also, the department suggested using LED lights to decorate it rather than traditional bulbs, not overloading electrical outlets and avoiding placing candles anywhere near a Christmas tree.

The United States Fire Administration recommended not to place trees close to heating sources, and said individuals should remove Christmas trees from their homes as soon as they have lost their luster and become parched.

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