The Officers and Members of the Wellsville Fire Company and Ladies Auxiliary would like to wish everyone a happy and safe holiday season.

Please feel free to print out the attached documents that contains the information listed below.

Winter Holiday Fire Safety

Did you know?
Nearly half of holiday decoration fires happen because decorations are placed too close to a heat source. It’s fun to decorate for the winter holidays, but holiday decorations can increase your risk for a home fire. As you deck the halls this season, be fire smart.

Inspect holiday lights each year before you put them up. Throw away light strands with frayed or pinched wires.

Water your Christmas tree every day. A dry tree is dangerous because it can catch on fire easily.

Consider using battery-operated flameless candles, which can look, smell and feel like real candles.

If you do use lit candles, make sure they are in stable holders and place them where they cannot be knocked down easily.

For more information and free resources, visit www.usfa.fema.gov

PUT A FREEZE ON WINTER HOLIDAY FIRES

It’s fun to decorate for the winter holidays, but holiday decorations can increase your risk for a home fire. As you deck the halls this season, be fire smart.

Read manufacturer’s instructions for the number of light strands to connect.

More than 1/3 of home decoration fires are started by candles.

The top 3 days for home candle fires are Christmas Day, New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day.

Keep candles at least 12 inches away from anything that burns.

Although Christmas tree fires are not common, when they do occur, they are dangerous. On average, 1 of 32 reported home Christmas tree fires resulted in death.

A heat source too close to the Christmas tree causes 1 in every 4 of the fires.

Make sure your tree is at least 3 feet away from heat sources like fireplaces, radiators, space heaters, candles or heat vents. Also, make sure your
tree does not block exits.

Get rid of your tree after Christmas or when it is dry.

For more information on how to prevent winter fires, visit www.usfa.fema.gov/winter and www.nfpa.org/winter.