UNITY — November was a quiet month for members of Unity Fire Department.
Fire Chief, Dwaine Kopp, says, “We responded to two STARS calls and one false alarm for residential security smoke detector in November. We were also called to respond to one accident in town.”
Kopp reminds residents to be cautious at intersections especially with winter conditions now upon us.
Also in November, members of the UFD attended Unity’s community Remembrance Day service and laid a wreath on behalf of their department.
This division of Unity’s protective services say they still haven’t heard what the plan is for the grant that was announced this spring towards community fire departments to use for extrication equipment.
Kopp says the UFD team is happy to once again be part of Unity’s Winter Lights parade.
Now that we are into December, community fire departments remind residents of the importance of Christmas tree safety. Tips they recommend are:
- Use lights that have the label of an independent testing laboratory. Some lights are only for indoor or outdoor use.
- Replace any string of lights with worn or broken cords or loose bulb connections. Read manufacturer’s instructions for number of light strands to connect.
- Never use lit candles to decorate the tree.
- Always turn off Christmas tree lights before leaving home or going to bed.
Live trees are a desired option for home holiday decorating however a dried-out Christmas tree can take less than a minute to become fully engulfed in flames. A live tree in your home should be watered daily.
Real Christmas trees should be kept away from any heating sources such as fireplaces, space or baseboard heaters. Residents are reminded to check all lights before using them and discard any that appear damaged or are old, as well as ensuring indoor sets for indoor use and those labeled outdoors should be used outdoors. Avoid overloading circuits with plugs and extension cords that can overheat and cause a fire.
Another holiday favourite is candles and fire departments say they should be kept in a sturdy holder away from children, pets or combustible material. Always remember to extinguish candles before leaving a room.
