by KYW's Hadas Kuznits
Because this is the time of year when holiday related fires are common, the Philadelphia Fire Department has some safety tips regarding your Christmas trees.
Philadelphia fire comissioner Lloyd Ayers says the fresher the tree, the safer it is:
"One of the things when you select a tree is to make sure that the green leaves on the tree are supple. You want to make sure that they bend very easily and that they don't break. If you stand the tree up and you give it a little thump on the ground, you shouldn't see the needles falling off of the tree. If you do, you know that it's not really fresh."
Then, he says, make sure to put a fresh cut on the trunk before plunking it into its watering stand.
He says that tree tags have all the instructions you need to take care of the tree in your home. And Ayers (in file photo above) says you should place the tree out of the way of fire exits -- and don't ever use an open flame on or near your tree.
"And also, yo don't want it near electrical heaters or any heat source because it'll dry out rapidly and also it can catch fire."
He says the Christmas season is a big fire season, and you can avoid hazards by following the safety tips.
E-Mail Story
Print Story
