DAVIE, FLA. (WSVN) - Davie firefighters are giving South Floridians tips to prevent holiday hazards that tend to happen this time of year.
Fire officials set up a few demonstrations of what could happen without warning, Tuesday.
One demonstration showed smoke filling the air as a smoke alarm went off. Before long, a Christmas tree went up in flames.
“Get a tree that’s nice and green when you go to buy it,” said Davie Fire Rescue Assistant Chief Jorge Gonzalez. “Another thing you want to check is the needles. If the needles are all falling off, that’s a sign of a dry tree.”
Firefighters also demonstrated how a properly hydrated tree is much harder to ignite.
Officials advise residents to cut at least two inches off the trunk and water it daily to maintain hydration.
The first couple days, the tree is in a home is when it “drinks” the most water, so it’s best to keep that in mind.
It might also be time to replace those old, frayed lights.
“One out of every three house fires or Christmas tree fires have to do with electrical issues,” Gonzalez said. “The bulbs that you’re using for your tree, you want to have them as low heat emission as possible, preferably LED lights that aren’t going to give you any heat emission.”
Remember to turn off tree lights at bedtime and make sure smoke detectors are working properly.
The U.S. Fire Administration said Christmas Day fires are double the amount of fires that happen on an average day, with fatalities rising nearly 70 percent.
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