It’s that time of year again and we have lots to talk about. First, while we have had some rain we still need to be vigilant for wildland fires. Cal Fire in our area has extended the fire season. While shorter days and cooler temperatures help, it is still very dry. So please keep alert for just a bit longer.
Will rain water drain away from your home or will it accumulate? Does drainage from your property impact your neighbor’s property? Is your property ready for the strong winds that we often see during the winter? Have trees and limbs checked and removed if necessary. Take time now to secure loose items in the yard or store them for winter.
Are you are ready to spend several days without electricity. Have flashlights and extra batteries on hand. Have a battery operated radio and a basic telephone, which requires no household electricity to operate. If you have a fireplace or wood stove, have the chimney cleaned and inspected to insure that a proper chimney cap and spark arrestor are in place. Check for tree limbs that have grown close to your chimney and trim them back at least 10 feet. Remove all paper, wood and furniture that are too near the fireplace or wall and floor furnaces.
During winter storms, do not walk or drive into flooded roads; it only takes two feet of water to carry your car away and as little as six inches of moving water can knock you off your feet. So, stay put during storms unless told otherwise by local emergency responders. If you live in an area where flooding is possible, keep sandbags, plastic sheeting and other materials on hand.
U.S. Fire Administration statistics show that during the month of December, 72 percent of all structure fires are in apartments and homes and the leading cause involves cooking, closely followed by heating related fires. While you are busy in the kitchen, pay close attention to these common causes of holiday cooking fires. Cooks can become distracted during this time of the year, by family, friends even adult beverages. It only takes a few minutes for oil in a pan to reach its ignition temperature and ruin a holiday. Fifty-four percent of cooking fires result from food or cooking equipment being left unattended or combustible items like towels, wooden utensils, oven mitts and cook books being left too close to a heat source. Keep all combustibles well away from any burners and stoves.
During the holidays, the use of open flames in our homes increases with the use of a fireplace, wood stove and candles; also from kids playing with fire. Keep candles away from combustible items and never leave a candle burning when you leave the house or go to bed. If you have children in the home, remind them that fire is very dangerous and should not be played with. Depending on the age of your children you may consider teaching them the proper use of fire and how to safety start a fire in the fireplace or light a candle, always under adult supervision.
Christmas trees can produce the most dangerous fires of all. A Christmas tree can burn with the same intensity as a 2-foot pool of gasoline depending on how dry it is. If you have a real tree keep it well watered and remove a dry tree from the house right away. Keep the tree away from a fireplace or heater, inspect all Christmas tree lights and don’t leave them on while away from home or when going to bed.
Be sure to have working smoke detectors in your home. Change the batteries twice a year with the time change. While maybe not as exciting as many other holiday presents, the gift of a smoke detector, carbon monoxide detector and a fire extinguisher may give the gift of life.
On behalf of the members of the Aptos La Selva Fire District, I would like to wish you and your family a happy and safe holiday season. Oh, and don’t forget you can spread the joy of the holiday season by stopping by any of the fire stations and donating food or toys for those in need.
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For more information please visit; www.usfa.fema.gov/citizens/home_fire_prev/holiday-seasonal/holiday.shtm or call your local fire department.