Stay Fire Safe This Holiday Season

Tallahassee Fire Department Kicks Off Keep the Wreath Green

December 01, 2023

The Tallahassee Fire Department (TFD) has placed its beautiful holiday wreath at Dorothy B. Oven Park once again this season. The Keep the Wreath Green program is in its 14th year and serves as a visual reminder of the importance of home fire safety during the winter holiday season.

Over the next month, TFD will replace one of the wreath’s 50 green bulbs with a red bulb each time a residential fire occurs in our area. The wreath will be on display at the park, located at 3205 Thomasville Road, through Jan. 1, 2024.

“The holiday season is unfortunately one of the busiest times of the year for home fires,” Tallahassee Fire Chief Gene Sanders said. “Decorations, heating equipment and cooking can create fire risks. TFD’s wreath provides a visual reminder of the importance of fire safety as our community celebrates the season.”

The Keep the Wreath Green program began in 2010. By the end of that year’s holiday season, 41 bulbs had been changed to red. Last year saw one of the lowest numbers of red bulbs, with six residential fires occurring during the holidays.

Follow these fire safety tips to help keep the wreath green this holiday season:

• Test all your smoke alarms and replace batteries, if needed.
• Keep children away from cooking areas by enforcing a "kid-free zone" of three feet around the stove.
• Stay in the kitchen when you are cooking. If you’re using a fryer or grill outside, make sure it is attended as well.
• Keep flammable objects away from heat sources. This includes keeping common kitchen items (like oven mitts, food packaging, towels and more) away from your stovetop.
• Heat your home only with equipment designed and intended for heating.
• If using a real tree in your holiday decorations, water it daily.
• Discard light strings that are worn or broken.
• Always unplug holiday lights before leaving the house or going to sleep.
• Place candles and candleholders on a non-flammable surface to catch the melting candle wax. Never leave lit candles unattended.
• Use a fire screen to keep embers and logs from escaping when using a fireplace. Make sure all embers are fully extinguished before turning in for the night.

The Tallahassee Fire Department wishes everyone a warm, safe holiday season. Stay connected to the department on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram or by visiting Talgov.com/Fire.