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Your safe practices have paid off! Congratulations Mundelein, on a decoration related, fire free holiday season. In 1980, the Illinois Fire Chiefs Association adopted a new program called “Keep the Wreath Red”. This program was founded by the Naperville (IL) Fire Department in 1954. Keep the Wreath Red has become an annual event, with fire departments all across Illinois participating. The program is designed to focus an awareness of safety while decorating our homes for the holidays.
How the program works is quite simple; the local fire department places a wreath on the front of their building and lights it with a string of red lights. The wreaths remain lit twenty-four hours a day throughout the holiday season. Whenever a fire occurs that is a result of holiday decorations, a white bulb replaces a red bulb on the wreath. This serves as a constant reminder to practice safety while installing and displaying holiday decorations. Some suggestions to help make this holiday season safer are: Keep the use of extension cords to a minimum If extension cords must be used, make sure they are free of cracked or split insulation, have appropriate grounding plugs in place Keep all electrical wiring out of walkways or places where they may become pinched or worn Read the packaging for all lights to be sure you are not overloading your electrical circuits Check the electrical wiring often for possible problems Do not use candles on or near combustible decorations Do not leave burning candles unattended
Read more... >> The Mundelein Fire Department has been a proud sponsor of this program for over 20 years. |
