Burlington Fire Department hoping to "Keep the Wreath Red" to raise fire awareness

Brad Vidmar, The Hawk Eye
·2 min read
The Burlington Fire Department's "Keep the Wreath Red" annual holiday fire safety awareness initiative runs from Nov. 19 through New Year's Day
The Burlington Fire Department's "Keep the Wreath Red" annual holiday fire safety awareness initiative runs from Nov. 19 through New Year's Day

The Burlington Fire Department is once again participating in the "Keep the Wreath Red" holiday fire awareness program this year.

"Keep the Wreath Red" is a public education program designed to increase fire safety awareness during the holiday season.

The program began on Nov. 19 and runs through New Year’s Day.

Holiday wreaths will hang outside of Central Fire Station, located at 5th and Valley streets, and Fire Station 2, located at 2223 Summer St.

The wreaths are decorated with red lights. In the event of a structure fire during the holiday season, firefighters will replace one of the red bulbs with a white bulb.

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The goal is to keep the bulbs on the wreath entirely red. Last year, several bulbs were changed white due to structural fires that occurred during the holiday season. Since last Saturday, the Burlington Fire Department has responded to at least two structure fires.

The Burlington Fire Department is also offering the following fire safety tips for the holiday season:

  • Be careful with candle use. Never leave a candle unattended and always place them out of reach from children. New style battery-powered candle lights are a safe alternative that the fire department recommends using instead. More than one-third of holiday fires are started by candles.

  • Cooking fires are the number one cause of home fires and home injuries. The leading cause of fires in the kitchen is unattended cooking. Make it a rule in your home not to leave the kitchen when cooking.

  • Check all your illuminated decorations to make sure they are in good condition. Light strands that have frayed or cracked wires should be thrown away and replaced with UL approved devices. Outside cords should be approved for exterior uses and inside cords should not be placed under carpets or throw rugs. Don't overload extension cords. And always follow the manufacturer's recommendations.

  • Keep live Christmas trees watered frequently. Be aware of your tree's life and when it becomes brittle, discontinue using the lights. Always turn off the lights when leaving your home. One in four Christmas tree fires is caused by electrical problems.

  • Make sure your fireplace is in good working order and the chimney is free from obstructions and creosote build-up. Christmas wrappings and tree branches are not to be burned in the fireplace. Their intense and rapid burning can cause chimney fires and flames to extend out of the firebox into your home.

  • Please keep fire hydrants clear and accessible. Do not pile shoveled or blown snow around a fire hydrant.

  • And as always, check your smoke detectors and make sure they are in good working order. If you did not change the batteries when you changed your clocks from daylight savings time, change them now.

More:One person and three dogs rescued in Fort Madison house fire

This article originally appeared on The Hawk Eye: Burlington Fire Department's "Keep the Wreath Red" to raise awareness