Chapel Hill Fire Department warns of winter safety risks

A wreath displayed at Fire Station No. 1 is no ordinary holiday trimming.

The decoration is part of a program by the Chapel Hill Fire Department seeking to reduce residential fires throughout the town during the holiday season.

The wreath, which was hung Nov. 25, displays green lights. For every residential fire in Chapel Hill, a red bulb will replace a green one.

The department’s goal is to “Keep the Wreath Green” all season long.

“It serves as a reminder to the citizens and folks that pass by that we are not exempt from residential fires in Chapel Hill,” said Fire Marshal Matt Lawrence, who currently oversees the program established in 2003.

The fire department has also implemented another fire safety awareness attempt through tree tagging, which involves placing tags on Christmas trees and holiday decorations for sale that provide directions for proper care and protection from fires.

Lawrence said the idea came from his previous station in Burlington.

He said both programs seek to focus on the hazards that are associated with the holiday season.

“There’s a lot of distractions this time of year so folks are doing things they don’t normally do to prepare for the holidays,” Lawrence said. “We are hopeful that we don’t have any issues and that everyone has a fire-safe holiday.”

Bergen said during the winter season, fires are generally started by heating systems, fireplaces, candles and improper secondary heating sources — like Christmas trees.

“The purpose is to raise awareness of fire safety and to keep people in tune to the fact that we have a large volume of fires in the winter,” said Assistant Fire Marshal Dace Bergen.

In a report compiled by the fire department, 265 calls regarding structure fires were made from 2005 to 2009.

“When you have a major family tragedy and your home is your refuge, your safe place, and if you don’t have that to return to, it makes it that much more emotionally difficult to deal with,” Bergen said.

To reduce the risk of structure fires, department officials advise residents to trim, cut and water Christmas trees; keep them away from heat sources, doors or windows and throw them away when they start losing needles.

Officials also encourage residents to pay attention to faulty lights and chords and warn against smoking around the tree.

Mayor Mark Kleinschmidt said the programs established by the fire department are the best practices for educating the community on safety.

“They’re very experienced in engaging the community and are well-received and likely to be successful,” Kleinschmidt said.

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