As the festive season takes a grip on Philadelphia, the Philadelphia Fire Department is set to host its yearly holiday fire safety event, emphasizing the importance of vigilance when it comes to Christmas trees and decorative fires, according to a recent advisory from the city's fire department.
Tomorrow, at the Philadelphia Fire Academy, located at 5200 Pennypack St., the fire department will be demonstrating the safe selection and care for natural-cut Christmas trees, which are allowed in one- and two-family homes in the city; and this year, they are ramping up the event with a new side-by-side burn demonstration, showcasing the rapid spread of fire with support from the National Fire Sprinkler Association, the department aims to educate citizens on fire hazards related to holiday decorations and the dire consequences of negligence.
Officials, including Fire Commissioner Jeffrey Thompson, Fire & Emergency Services Chief Gene Janda, Deputy Commissioner Keith Warren, and representatives from the National Fire Sprinkler Association, as well as members of the PFD’s Fire Prevention and Code Division, will be present to guide residents through the process of correctly cutting, displaying, watering, and caring for their Christmas trees. For visuals and hands-on experiences, the PFD team will be there to show the right methods and share best practices come 11:00 a.m. today, December 2.
The urgency of these measures is underscored by data from the National Fire Protection Association, which states that U.S. fire departments dealt with an average of 832 home structure fires per annum starting with decorations other than Christmas trees—leading to an annual toll of approximately 3 civilian deaths, 28 injuries, and $17 million in property losses; electrical distribution or lighting equipment were the culprits in more than two-fifths of Christmas tree fires, while nearly one-quarter were sparked by lights or bulbs, and candles caused some twelve percent of deadly festive blazes.
Moreover, interviews with PFD officials will be available to provide first-hand insight into the city’s fire safety protocols during the season, where both cooking and candle usage see a drastic increase, especially in December and January. For further information on holiday fire safety, the City of Philadelphia advisory also includes resources from the National Fire Protection Association, detailing statistics on home decoration fires year-round, emphasizing that a staggering fifty percent of such incidents in December are candle-related.
