Officials: Residents asked to use caution about indoor fire risks this holiday season
Wildfires dominated the news cycle this fall but experts say the real tragedies happen most often during times of indoor celebration.
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Officials say that despite recent rain, the threat of fire over the holiday season increases, shifting from the woods to inside your home.
About 13 seconds pass from the first signs of smoke and flames to the home sprinkler activation at a simulated Christmas tree fire demonstrated by the experts at the Monmouth County Fire Academy.
“When a fire starts, it gets rolling. Fire suppression sprinklers give everyone in that structure an opportunity to get out safely,” said John Wisniewski, the vice chairman of the NJ Fire Safety Commission.
Compare that to a home without sprinklers, which leaves anyone inside about 20 seconds from the time of the first smoke alarm to get out in a hurry.
“If you have a large home or in the basement or asleep, that 20 seconds is up very quickly. You’re not even out of the house yet,” said New Jersey State Fire Marshal Rich Mikutsky.
Wildfires dominated the news cycle this fall but these experts say the real tragedies happen most often during times of indoor celebration.
“We have trees in homes, we have entertainment going on. You may be cooking a meal while you have guests, get distracted from the stove. There are candles, they get knocked over,” said Wisniewski.
Thinking about a tasty, deep-fried turkey? A frozen turkey hitting 400-degree oil could turn your backyard into an unwanted pyrotechnic display.
“Room temperature and dryness. Dryness is the important part. You want to make sure the cavity and outside of the turkey are dry,” said Mikutsky.
And when searching for a fresh Christmas tree, Mikutsky says to avoid dry trees with brown or loose needles and water the trees frequently.
“Once it stops drinking water, get it out of the house,” he added.
According to Wisniewski, a home sprinkler system with the force of what was used on the demonstration will run new construction an extra $5,000.
