ELLY GRIMM
• Leader & Times
Many people are preparing to put up their Christmas decorations and with that in mind, Liberal Fire Chief Kelly Kirk said there are some safety precautions to keep in mind while making things merry and bright.
“There's a multitude of ways people can decorate for Christmas – some people are more minimal, some people go absolutely all out. There's typically lights involved among all of that, both indoor and outdoor, so there's the electrical hazards to keep in mind,” Kirk said. “If you are using a lot of lights, follow the manufacturers' instructions and make sure to inspect them for any fraying or damage, especially your outside lights since they're more susceptible to the elements, and be sure to not overload your electrical outlets and don't have your light cords running through pinch points like in doors or windows. If you're going to hang your lights with nails or clips, make sure you have everything arranged so whatever you're using doesn't actually damage anything. A lot of decorations will include live Christmas trees, and there will also be a lot of electric lights or other decorations used. If you use an artificial tree, they're generally very safe and most of the fires involving those are electrical in nature, so we definitely encourage people to inspect their lights for any fraying or exposed wires or anything like that. With live trees, if you want to keep it alive for the whole season, we recommend a 45-degree angle cut on the stump and making sure there's plenty of water for it the entire time it's up and as far as decorating, use low-temperature lights and make sure everything's safely distanced because live trees can catch fire frighteningly fast and are very intense.”
Kirk added people should pay some extra attention as to where they set their Christmas tree up.
“If you've got floor heating vents or a similar setup, keep your tree away from those, because that air constantly blowing on the tree will dry it out so, so fast and turn the tree into basically a tinderbox,” Kirk said. “We also recommend setting up your tree close enough to an outlet where you don't necessarily need an extension cord, but make sure it still has adequate space to be stretched out.”
Lights used outdoors should be especially kept track of, Kirk said.
“For the most part, the lights you buy in the store are built to be outside in the elements, but we strongly advise making sure any connections points aren't near spots where water can gather,” Kirk said. “If you hang your lights properly, there shouldn't really be too much ice accumulation or anything like that that could lead to problems. We also recommend keeping lights away from gutters because they're typically full of leaves and other potentially flammable debris. Also, make sure you have enough outlets to power everything you've got up outside – we have seen some situations where people don't have enough outlets and ultimately have to plug in from inside, and that could lead to issues. The main thing is just making sure to have everything secured. Everyone wants to use their lights as long as they can, but when you're stringing everything up, look for any cracking and/or fraying or similar damage. A lot of the inflatables have electric fans and motors in them, so make sure to also give those a good look as well and make sure everything's still in good shape. If you've got lights that have a lot of wear and tear and fraying, it's time to invest in new lights.”
And when decking the halls, Kirk said people should bring in some help.
“Be careful if you have to get on a ladder, and if possible, have someone out with you to help,” Kirk said. “We have gotten multiple calls of that nature where someone was on the roof putting their display together and they fell either off the roof or their ladder, so make sure there aren't any slip or trip hazards.”
Kirk added this time of year can actually be rather quiet for the LFD.
“We don't necessarily see a major uptick in the number of calls we get for fires related to Christmas displays or lights. Historically, however, in the winter, that's when we see more calls for structure fires – in the spring and summer is when people are outdoors and using grills and other such devices, so we get more grass fires and those types of calls, but in the winter, since everyone's more prone to staying indoors, that's when we get more structure fire calls,” Kirk said. “We always have to be concerned about people who choose alternative ways of heating their homes, because we've come across some situations that are frankly, quite frightening, like using a grill or keeping the oven on in the kitchen, which are really dangerous.”
Overall, Kirk said, he hopes people will remain safe when preparing their holiday displays.
“If anyone ever has any questions or concerns, we are here to help. We always try to be approachable to everyone in the community, and everyone is welcome to call the LFD office at (620) 626-0128, and someone will be able to help. That's our job, we're here for the community,” Kirk said. “If everyone will just take a little extra time to plan, and if everyone will take some simple precautions, it'll be a happy holiday season for everyone. We want everyone to have a safe and happy holiday season.”
