CAL FIRE NEWS: CAL FIRE Christmas tree safety tips

Friday, December 10, 2010

CAL FIRE NEWS: CAL FIRE Christmas tree safety tips

Fire Safe Christmas Trees
Christmas tree fires cause approximately 200 house fires each year in this country. There are very simple steps you can take to prevent this type of fire from happening to you.

Highlights for a fire safe holiday: Bear in mind that by following a few simple fire safety tips, you can prevent a possible Christmas tree fire and boost survival rates dramatically in the event you do have a house fire.

When you are ready to put up your tree, make a fresh cut at the base of the tree (a minimum of two inches) and place the tree into a bucket of water or a clean tree stand immediately.
Keep the tree away from all heat sources and water the tree daily.
When you are decorating the tree, make sure the light strings are in good condition. Throw away any light strings that are damaged or frayed.
Don’t leave the tree lights “on” when you are away from home or when you have gone to sleep.
Never overload your electrical outlets.
Consider purchasing a tree pretreated with a fire retardant or treat your tree with an approved fire retardant (for a list of approved fire retardants, visit the Office of the State Fire Marshall’s website http://osfm.fire.ca.gov/licensinglistings/pdf/flameretardant/chemical/ChemicalList.pdf).
Working smoke alarms in your home reduces one's chance of dying in a fire by nearly 50%. Test the smoke alarm monthly and replace batteries twice a year.
82% of fire deaths occur in the home. Practice your families exit drill and make sure everyone knows where your meeting place is. If you do not have an exit drill, create one now. Do not forget to review this fire exit drill with house guests.

“If you follow these simple steps,” cautions Chief Bill Holmes of the Amador-El Dorado-Sacramento-Alpine Unit of the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CAL FIRE) “you can help prevent a potentially deadly fire.”

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How fires get their names

Every year in California thousands of wildfires start throughout the state. In most cases, the dispatch center sending the initial resources to a wildland fire will designate a name for the fire, but the first on scene engine or fire official can also name the incident. Fires are usually named for the area in which they start – a geographical location, local landmark, street, lake, mountain, peak, etc. Quickly naming the fire provides responding fire resources with an additional locater, and allows fire officials to track and prioritize incidents by name. For example during the Southern California Fire Siege of 2003, the largest wildland fire in California history, the Cedar Fire in San Diego County, was named after the Cedar Creek Falls area where it started. The destructive Old Fire, which burned during the same time period in San Bernardino County, was named after the road along which it started - Old Waterman Canyon Road.

CAL FIRE is the largest fire department in California and the second largest fire department in the United States. CDF - CAL FIRE Firefighters answer the call more than 300,000 times a year. CAL FIRE Firefighters make up the fire department for 30 of our 58 counties in California and more than 100 local communities. We serve as the incident command during many of California’s most serious disasters. CAL FIRE Firefighters respond to many various types and forms of calls ranging from structural fires, to auto accidents, to earthquakes, to floods, to the spilling of hazardous materials, to every conceivable disaster; CAL FIRE answer's the calls. CAL FIRE is the largest fire department in California and the second largest fire department in the United States . CAL FIRE firefighters protect 33 million acres of State Responsibility Area (SRA). We have over 4,000 members within CAL FIRE and CAL FIRE is associated with the California Professional Firefighters (CPF) and the International Association of Firefighters (IAFF).

CFN - CALIFORNIA FIRE NEWS - CAL FIRE NEWS

Friday, December 10, 2010