NEW YORK—Hanukah candles, Christmas trees, space heaters, and lots of flammable gift boxes and wrapping paper—this time of year is a joyous one, but it is also a fireman’s nightmare.
Fire Commissioner Salvatore Cassano was fraught with worry over the idea of another year with a natural tree in his home. Though his wife was keen on the scent of a fresh-cut arboreal holiday guest, he insisted on pulling the old artificial tree out, a much more fire-resistant choice he said.
“It can be beautiful and safe with just a few precautions,” insisted Cassano.
Firefighters ignited a blaze in a model apartment decorated for the holidays at the FDNY Academy on Randall Island on Monday. The little spark turned to a roaring blaze in four minutes, with the whole top half of the room full of thick, black smoke. When a piece of cloth behind the decorated tree was lit, it took only two minutes for the whole tree to be engulfed in flames—and that was a fresh tree pointed out the commissioner. The fire would have spread quicker were the tree older and drier.
The model was set up with many fire hazards, which Lt. Anthony Mancuso pointed out to educate the public about keeping the holidays fireproof.
Some holiday fire-safety tips from the FDNY:
-The leading cause of holiday fires is improper extension cord use. Do not run extension cords under rugs, as people walking on them will damage them. Do not use cracked or damaged cords. Do not use extension cords for space heaters; plug them directly into the wall. Use power bars instead of extension cords if you need multiple outlets.
-Unattended candles are fire hazards. So are low-lying candles that can be reached by children or knocked over by pets. Even electric candles can become very hot, so be sure to keep flammable materials at a distance.
-In the frosty weather, space heaters are running across the city. People must be sure to keep anything that could burn three feet from every side of the heater.
-Christmas trees are easily ignited. Be sure to keep your tree well watered, filling the base once a day. Pull on the needles; if they come off easily, the tree is drier and poses more of a hazard. Natural trees should be kept in the house for only about two weeks.
-Look for flame-retardant artificial trees. You can test an artificial tree for flammability by burning a few needles in an ashtray. If they melt rather than catch flame, it is a good sign for safety.
-Make sure you have a working fire alarm. Across the country, 95 percent of homes have fire alarms, but 30 percent of those alarms do not have working batteries in them. You should change the batteries twice a year (FDNY recommends to do it when you change your clocks for daylight savings as a way to remember to do it). It is best to test the alarm once a month, and especially after changing the batteries just to make sure it works.
Fire Commissioner Salvatore Cassano was fraught with worry over the idea of another year with a natural tree in his home. Though his wife was keen on the scent of a fresh-cut arboreal holiday guest, he insisted on pulling the old artificial tree out, a much more fire-resistant choice he said.
“It can be beautiful and safe with just a few precautions,” insisted Cassano.
Firefighters ignited a blaze in a model apartment decorated for the holidays at the FDNY Academy on Randall Island on Monday. The little spark turned to a roaring blaze in four minutes, with the whole top half of the room full of thick, black smoke. When a piece of cloth behind the decorated tree was lit, it took only two minutes for the whole tree to be engulfed in flames—and that was a fresh tree pointed out the commissioner. The fire would have spread quicker were the tree older and drier.
The model was set up with many fire hazards, which Lt. Anthony Mancuso pointed out to educate the public about keeping the holidays fireproof.
Some holiday fire-safety tips from the FDNY:
-The leading cause of holiday fires is improper extension cord use. Do not run extension cords under rugs, as people walking on them will damage them. Do not use cracked or damaged cords. Do not use extension cords for space heaters; plug them directly into the wall. Use power bars instead of extension cords if you need multiple outlets.
-Unattended candles are fire hazards. So are low-lying candles that can be reached by children or knocked over by pets. Even electric candles can become very hot, so be sure to keep flammable materials at a distance.
-In the frosty weather, space heaters are running across the city. People must be sure to keep anything that could burn three feet from every side of the heater.
-Christmas trees are easily ignited. Be sure to keep your tree well watered, filling the base once a day. Pull on the needles; if they come off easily, the tree is drier and poses more of a hazard. Natural trees should be kept in the house for only about two weeks.
-Look for flame-retardant artificial trees. You can test an artificial tree for flammability by burning a few needles in an ashtray. If they melt rather than catch flame, it is a good sign for safety.
-Make sure you have a working fire alarm. Across the country, 95 percent of homes have fire alarms, but 30 percent of those alarms do not have working batteries in them. You should change the batteries twice a year (FDNY recommends to do it when you change your clocks for daylight savings as a way to remember to do it). It is best to test the alarm once a month, and especially after changing the batteries just to make sure it works.
