North Shore Fire Stations Display Holiday Wreaths to Prevent Fires

Five North Shore fire stations will display a holiday wreath decorated with red bulbs.

The wreaths are illuminated constantly with red bulbs, if a fire occurs and is directly caused by holiday decorations, one red bulb will be changed to a white bulb.

North Shore Fire offers these tips for fire safety:

If you have an artificial tree, be sure it is labeled, certified, or identified by the      manufacturer as fire retardant.Choose a tree with fresh, green needles that do not fall off when touched.

Before placing the tree in the stand, cut 1-inch to 2-inch from the base of the trunk. Make sure the tree      is at least three feet away from any heat source, like fireplaces, radiators, candles, heat vents or lights. Make sure the tree is not blocking an exit. Add water to the tree stand. Be sure to add water daily.

Use lights that have the label of an independent testing laboratory. Some lights are only for indoor or outdoor use, but not both. Replace any string of lights with worn or broken cords or loose bulb connections. Connect no more than three strands of mini string sets and a maximum of 50 bulbs for screw-in bulbs. Read manufacturer's instructions for number of LED strands to connect. Never use lit candles to decorate the tree. Always turn off Christmas tree lights before leaving home or going to bed.