Westport Fire Department Offers Fire Safety Tips For The Holiday Season

• Use candles with caution and keeping them clear of combustibles and ensuring they are on a solid, tip-resistant base. They should never be left unattended.
• Check that all holiday lights and cords are in good condition and use only as directed by the manufacturer’s instructions.

• Keep real Christmas trees well watered, but remove them from water when needles begin to drop excessively. Never allow a tree, real or artificial, to restrict access to escape routes.

• When shoveling ashes from the Yule log, use a metal container or leave them in the fireplace. Ashes can contain hot embers for as long as four days. The tragic Christmas morning fire in Stamford several years ago was caused by the improper disposal of fireplace ashes.

• Always use a screen in front of fireplaces and maintain properly-operating smoke detectors.

• Never burn holiday garland, wrapping paper, Christmas trees or other greenery in the fireplace. These items burn quickly and will overcome the chimney’s ability to exhaust heat and smoke causing the fire to push out into the room.

For more information on fire safety, contact the Westport Fire Marshal’s Office at 203-341-5020.

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