Officials Offer Holiday Safety Tips For Town Residents

MASSAPEQUA, NY – With the holiday season in full swing, residents are reminded to keep safe while enjoying the festivities. Oyster Bay Town Supervisor Joseph Saladino, volunteer firefighters from the Massapequa Fire Department and the Nassau County Fire Marshal issued several important Christmas tree safety tips for residents during this holiday season.

“We all love the beauty of Christmas lights and trees during the holiday season. The Massapequa Fire Department and I remind residents that Christmas trees can pose as a fire hazard when not cared for properly," Saladino said. "While Christmas tree fires are not common, when they do occur, they are costly and often deadly, as it only takes a matter of seconds before a tree can become fully engulfed."

Christmas tree fires account for 250 house fires each year in the United States. Of those, one-third are caused by electrical problems.

A heat source too close to the Christmas tree causes one in every five of these fires. It can take only a few seconds for fire to fully engulf a room if a Christmas tree comes in contact with an ignition source, such as a frayed wire or candle.

On Tuesday, the fire department hosted a live controlled residential fire of Christmas trees to show how quickly a dry Christmas tree fire can spread and emphasize to the public the urgent need to hydrate the tree and to properly dispose of it.

In addition, to ensure holiday safety, officials and the Massapequa Fire Department offer the following safety tips:

• Choose a tree with fresh green needles that do not fall off when touched.
• Before placing the tree in the stand, cut 1-2 inches from the base of the trunk.
• Make sure the tree is at least three feet away from any heat source, such as fireplaces, radiators, candles, heat vents, or lights.
• Make sure the tree is not blocking an exit.
• Use lights that have the label of an independent testing laboratory. Some lights are only for indoor or outdoor use.
• Replace any string of lights with worn or broken cords or loose bulb connections.
• Connect no more than three strands of mini string sets and a maximum of 50 bulbs for screw-in bulbs. Read manufacturer’s instructions for the number of LED strands to connect.
• Never use lit candles to decorate the tree.
• Always turn off Christmas tree lights before leaving home or going to bed.
• Dispose of the tree immediately after Christmas or when it is dry. Dried-out trees are a fire hazard and should not be left in the home or garage, or placed outside against the home. Check with your local community to find a recycling program.

Photos courtesy of the Town of Oyster Bay