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Christmas tree fire safetyAs families begin to decorate for the holiday season, Dan McLaughlin, the Kansas State Fire Marshal, is urging all families who purchase Christmas trees to keep fire safety in mind. According to the National Fire Protection Association, fire departments respond to an average of 210 fires caused by Christmas trees each year. Although this is not considered a common fire, residents must understand that when these fires occur, they are likely to be serious. Testing laboratories have shown that a dry pine Christmas tree is completely ablaze within 3 seconds of ignition and "Flashover" occurs within 40 seconds. Flashover is when the entire room erupts into flames, the oxygen level is depleted, and toxic smoke fills the space. "Forty seconds is not a lot of time to respond and get out of the house" says Dan McLaughlin. If your holiday tradition includes a live Christmas tree, take the advice of the sales person seriously--"Water the tree daily". If you prefer an artificial tree, make sure that it is labeled as flame retardant. Additionally, by following some general fire safety precautions, potential holiday fires, deaths, and injuries may be prevented. --Choose a tree that is fresh (needles should not fall off when touched); --Keep trees and other decorations at least 3 feet away from heat sources; --Use lights that are UL listed and appropriate for indoor use; --Do not use any worn or broken lights; --Connect no more than three strands of lights; --Turn lights off while sleeping or away from home. The Kansas State Fire Marshal would also like to remind everyone that holiday decorations should never be placed near the exits or in quantities that would obstruct the exits. Your exits are the most important resource available when a fire occurs. Please take the extra time to ensure your exits are accessible at all times.
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