Fond du Lac Fire/Rescue wants to “Keep The Wreath Green” this December

Residence passing by any of the three City of Fond du Lac Fire stations may notice a festive holiday wreath out front, decorated with green lights, but it’s more than just a Christmas season decoration.

Every year, the department displays the wreath, starting out December 1st with all green lights.

With the cold season being a busier than normal time with structure fires, the department will replace a green light with a red light after every structure fire as a way to remind residences of the dangers of things such as space heaters, fireplaces and overloading power supplies with extra loads such as Christmas lights.

According to the National Fire Protection Association, December is a leading month for U.S. home fires, with Christmas Day and Christmas Eve representing the second- and third-leading days of the year for home cooking fires in 2024.

The city of Fond du Lac Fire/Rescue gives these tips to stay fire free this holiday season…

Use power strips with surge protectors instead of extension cords.

Use decorative lights that have the label of an independent testing lab.

Always unplug lights, trees, and space heaters when leaving or going to bed.

If you have a real Christmas tree, keep it watered daily.

If your tree dries out remove it promptly and store it away from your home until you can dispose of it.

Keep all trees and combustibles away from fireplaces.

Never leave candles unattended or within reach of children or pets and always blow out candles when leaving or going to bed.

Keep space heaters at least 3 feet from anything that can burn.

Never burn wrapping materials in your fireplace.

Never leave the stove unattended while cooking.

Utilize timers while cooking.

Be aware of where kids are around fire and safety hazards.

Finally, make sure you have working smoke detectors on every floor of your home. Test them to be sure.

The keep the wreath green program runs from December 1st through January 1st.