Just in Time for the Holidays: Fire Awareness and Prevention
American Christmas Tree Association Joins National Fire Protection Association to Urge Fire Safety Awareness
(PRWEB) October 1, 2009…the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) takes one week each October to focus on keeping homes safe from the leading causes of home fires, including holiday-related fires.
"As the holiday season fast approaches, the annual NFPA fire safety campaign is a good time to remind people of the fire dangers of improperly displaying and caring for live Christmas trees," said Jami Warner, Executive Director of the American Christmas Tree Association (ACTA).
On average, one of every 9 reported fires that began with a Christmas tree
resulted in death. According to a NFPA report, U.S. fire departments
responded to more than 200 home structure fires annually from 2002 to 2005
that began with Christmas trees causing an annual average of 24 civilian fire deaths and over $13 million in damage.
Electrical failures or malfunctions were involved in nearly half (48%) of the fires, while one quarter (27%) occurred because a heat source was located too close to the tree. Decorative lights with line voltage were involved in nearly a quarter (22%) of the instances.
According to the U.S. Fire Administration, if your household includes a natural tree in its festivities keep the tree well watered. Typically shorts in electrical lights or open flames from candles, lighters or matches start tree fires. Dry and neglected trees are a fire waiting to happen.
The U.S. Fire Administration provides a video of how fast a Christmas tree
fire can destroy property and threaten lives:
www.usfa.dhs.gov/downloads/media/drytreefire/tree3202402web.mov.
For more information on holiday safety, visit
www.christmastreeassociation.org.
