Watch above: There are many distractions at this time of the year but the Saskatoon Fire Department wants residents to focus. Aaron Streck talks to officials about the best ways to ensure your family’s safety over the holiday.
SASKATOON – There are many distractions at this time of the year but the Saskatoon Fire Department wants residents to focus. Christmas, it’s a time to celebrate with family and friends but entertaining guests can sometimes get in the way of safety.
It doesn’t take long for things to take a turn; in a matter of 10 seconds a dry Christmas tree can go up in flames.
“Make sure it’s fresh, good green color, has a good scent to it and when we take it home and cut that bottom layer off of that stump of that tree, make sure it’s immersed in water at all times,” said Morgan Hackl, Saskatoon Fire Department assistant chief.
It’s recommended to check a tree’s water two to three times a day or anytime you look at it; setting it up close to anything potentially flammable is a bad idea.
“On top of keeping it watered, we want to think about making sure you use CSA approved lighting and make sure that those cords that you’re using for the tree are not frayed in any way or cracked and make sure it’s only temporary don’t leave that tree plugged in all night,” said Hackl.
Watch below: A test conducted by the National Fire Protection Association and Underwriters Laboratories showing how flammable a dry Christmas tree can be as opposed to a tree watered regularly.
Candles are often used during the holidays and also pose risks.
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“If you leave a room and children are present or if you have a pet walking around the home there is a chance that candle can be bumped and if it’s close to any sort of drapery or paper products that are flammable there’s a chance a house fire can start,” said Hackl.
While stockings usually hang from the chimney, officials discourage people from burning wrapping paper in fire places.
“What that can do is send sparking out the chimney out onto the roof and also what it ends up doing is when you burn wrapping paper in a fire place it will end up causing creosote to form from inside the chimney and therefore that can build up over time and cause a chimney fire,” said Hackl.
There are usually more cooks in the kitchen during Christmas and while that can be a good thing, preparing food is the largest cause of fires in Saskatoon year-round.
Another safety tip during the holiday season is space heaters. The Saskatoon Fire Department recommends keeping them one meter away from anything flammable.
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