ALAMO TOWNSHIP, Mich. – A number of fire departments across the country are participating in a “Keep the Wreath Green” campaign. In Kalamazoo County, the public awareness-and-safety event runs until January 1, 2019.
A wreath with green Christmas lights was placed outside fire departments in the county on November 21st, when the local campaign kicked off.
The Alamo Township Fire Department, 7840 N. 6th Street in Kalamazoo, says in a Facebook post the wreaths started with all green bulbs:
“If a fire occurs in Kalamazoo County, a green bulb is replaced with a red one…please help us keep the wreath green this holiday season by practicing fire safety.”
Photo courtesy: Comstock Fire & Rescue.
The hope was that the wreaths would remain green, but there already have been a number of chimney and other fires in West Michigan since Thanksgiving. For example, Comstock Fire & Rescue posted on its Facebook page photos of a vacant-house fire on G Avenue that occurred December 4th, with flames shooting through the roof.
Comstock Fire & Rescue provides these items to contemplate:
* More than a third of home decoration fires are started by candles
* 42% of decoration fires happen because decorations are placed too close to a heat source
* One of every third home Christmas tree fires is caused by electrical problems
* Although Christmas tree fires are not common, when they do occur, they are more likely to be serious
* A heat source too close to the tree causes roughly one in every four of the fires
* Nearly half of all space heater fires involve electric space heaters
