"Our Mission: We, the El Dorado Hills Fire Department, exist to serve and protect the Community through emergency management."
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Public Safety & Education

According to the National Fire Protection Association, from 2000 to 2004, Christmas tree fires caused an average of 14 civilian deaths, 21 civilian injuries, and $16.8 million in property damage per year. On average, one in every 22 reported home Christmas tree fires resulted in death. Additionally, electrical malfunctions, candles, heaters, and children playing with fire started many of these preventable tragic fires.

Steps to reduce the chance of fires from real and artificial trees:
• When purchasing a live tree, check for freshness. A fresh tree is green with needles that are hard to pull from the branches. The trunk butt of a fresh tree should be sticky with resin, and when tapped on the ground, the tree should not lose many needles.
• Do not put your live tree up too early or leave it up for longer than two weeks.
• When purchasing a metallic or artificial tree, make sure it is flame retardant. Look for the label "Fire Resistant." Although this label does not mean the tree won't catch fire, it does indicate the tree will resist burning and should extinguish quickly.
• Place your tree away from heat sources and escape exits.
• Decorate your Christmas tree (real or artificial) only with flame-retardant or non-combustible decorations.
• Make sure your tree stand is wide-based and sturdy. This will reduce the chances of the tree toppling over.
• Remember to water the tree daily. Do not let a live tree dry out. Always use a tree stand with a water reservoir and keep the reservoir filled.
• Never use candles on or near the tree.
• Safely dispose of your tree before it becomes dangerously dry. The best way to dispose of your tree is by taking it to a recycling center or having it hauled away by a community pick-up service.
• Never burn tree or tree parts in your fireplace
Christmas Light Safety
• Purchase only UL approved lights.

Read more: Christmas Safety Tips

Juvenile firesetting has been identified as the fastest growing fire threat in the United States. Annual statistics show that more than 300 people are killed, and nearly $300 million dollars in property is destroyed by fires set by children. More than 30-percent of the victims are the children themselves.

CHILDREN AND FIRE CAN BE A DEADLY COMBINATION - THE FACTS

  • Nearly 34-percent of the victims of child-set fires are the children themselves.
  • Nationally, playing with fire is the leading cause of death in residential fires for young children.
  • At home, children often play with fire in the bedroom – where lots of things catch on fire easily.
  • Older children frequently play with fire outside the home, at the bus stop, or in vacant lots.
  • Children are under the false impression that they can control the fires they set.
  • Many children who set fires lack both parental supervision and fire safety education.
  • Juveniles account for more than 50-percent of all arson arrests in the United States.
  • Nationally, children who play with fire cause nearly 80,000 structure fires per year which result in approximately 760 deaths and more than 3,500 injuries.
  • Juvenile firesetting does an estimated 1.2 Billion dollars in damage annually.
  • It only takes about two-minutes for the flame from a single match to set an entire room on fire, and less than five minutes for that fire to overtake an entire house.
  • Juvenile arson and youth-set fires result in over 300 deaths and 2,000 injuries annually, and $300 million in property damage and more than 400,000 incidents annually (USFA)
  • Children playing with fire cause 40 percent of residential fire-related deaths among children.

Before you can begin to understand firesetting behavior, you must first look at where and why children set fires. Experts believe that there are two basic types of children who start fires.

CURIOSITY FIRESETTERS

Curiosity is the most common reason children play with fire. Children want to know how fire looks and feels, what it can do, and how it burns. They may also try to imitate adults by lighting candles, cigarettes and fireplaces. What begins as a natural exploration of the unknown can often lead to tragedy because children do not understand fire’s destructive potential.

Read more: Juvenile Firesetter Program

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