Caldwell Fire Alert: Tips For Avoiding Holiday Season Fires

Caldwell, NJ - With the holiday season here and winter weather quickly approaching, the Caldwell Fire Prevention Bureau is reminding residents of the increased potential for dangerous home fires.

“We want our residents to be especially on guard, and vigilant during this season,” town officials stated in a release, emphasizing a message of “Let’s all stay FireSafe.”

• See related article: WATCH: What Happens To A Dry Christmas Tree?

Here are some safety tips courtesy of Caldwell Fire Official and Property Maintenance Inspector Mark Guiliano:

• Have working smoke detectors and carbon monoxide alarms on each level of your home. Fires today burn hotter, move faster, and produce more toxic smoke than ever before. You and your family may have only minutes to get out alive. Know the difference between the sound of your smoke alarm and carbon monoxide alarm and get out and stay out when it sounds. Practice in home fire drills and have an escape plan with two exits from each room.
• Cooking is the leading cause of fires and fire injuries within the home. Always stay in the kitchen and keep an eye on the stove when cooking. Don’t wear loose fitting long sleeve robes or clothes which may ignite and cause serious burns when near the stove. Don’t use water to extinguish a greasy fire, instead place a lid on the pot or pan, or use baking soda to smother a small fire. Never try to extinguish a large fire, get out and call the fire department.
• Electrical fires can move quickly through a home inside a wall without residents’ knowledge until it finally breaks through and sounds an alarm. Overloaded electric sockets or power strips can heat up and cause an electrical fire. Old, frayed or worn wires on appliances or cords are also dangerous. Replace them with UL approved devices.
• Unattended candles cause many fires and residents should never leave a room when they are in use. Always keep them in sturdy metal, glass, or ceramic containers, and never place them in a spot where they may tip over or be knocked into. Consider using realistic battery powered flameless candles that look, smell and feel like real candles.
• Furnaces, chimneys, and fireplaces should be inspected and service regularly to be sure they are operating properly and ready for service. When using a fireplace make sure to have a fireplace screen in place to guard against any stray embers, and never leave any fire unattended. Dispose of fireplace ashes in fireproof metal receptacles with lids and store in a secure area away from buildings.
• With the holiday season approaching, remember to keep live Christmas trees watered to keep them from drying out too quickly. A dried out tree can fuel an explosive fire. Never use lights on a dried out tree. Properly dispose of used matches or cigarette butts by running them under water, and be especially watchful for anything that might be smoldering after parties or a holiday get together.
• “Help us to help you”. It’s important to have your street address plainly visible from the street so emergency services can get to you. Heavy snows bury hydrants delaying our operation so helping us by keeping hydrants clear makes our job a lot easier. And do not park on snow covered roads and block access for fire apparatus. All these considerations will help us to help you.

Send Caldwell news tips and press releases to eric.kiefer@patch.com

File photo by State Farm via flickr