Shelton fire department offers holiday safety tips

SHELTON >> Don’t become a tragic statistic this holiday season.

Decorating homes, businesses and other facilities is a joy of the season and a long-standing tradition at this time of year, but possible fires involving holiday trees, lights, and candles pose a potentially deadly threat.

That’s why the Shelton Fire Prevention Bureau would like to remind everyone to make fire prevention a top priority.
Following a few, simple fire safety tips can keep a Christmas tree, electric lights and candles from creating a tragedy, according to Ted Pisciotta, assistant chief of fire prevention.

— First and foremost, any place of business, facility or home should make certain that all exits remain accessible and unblocked by decorations or trees at any time.

— If you have an artificial tree, be sure it’s labeled, certified or identified by the manufacturer as fire-retardant.

— If you plan on a live/cut tree, be sure it is remains fresh and never becomes dry. Needles on fresh trees should be green and hard to pull from the branches, and a needle should bend, not break. Bouncing the tree trunk on the ground can identify old trees. If many needles fall off, the tree has been cut too long, has probably dried out, and is likely a fire hazard. Before placing the fresh tree in the stand, cut 1 to 2 inches from the base of the trunk. Add water to the tree stand, and be sure to water it daily. Keep the tree at least 3 feet from any heat source, such as a fireplace, space heater, radiator or heat vent because the heat will dry out the tree, causing it to be more easily ignited by heat, flame or sparks. Also avoid locating a tree where it may be exposed to long periods of sun. Never use lit candles to decorate the tree. Do not leave a live tree up for longer than two weeks, and be sure to keep the tree stand filled with water at all times. Dried-out trees are a fire hazard and should not be left in the home or garage, or placed near the home. Move the tree outdoors, well away from the house or any structure, such as curbside for pickup.


— Holiday lights can become an ignition source, regardless if indoors or outdoors. Use only lights that have the label of an independent testing laboratory, and make sure you know whether they are designed for indoor or outdoor use. Connect no more than three strands of mini-string sets and a maximum of 50 bulbs for screw-in bulbs, unless the directions indicate it is safe. Make sure to periodically check the wires: They should not be warm to the touch. Replace any string of lights with worn or broken cords, or loose bulb connections. Always turn off Christmas tree lights before leaving the home or going to bed. Bring outdoor electrical lights inside after the holidays to prevent hazards and make them last longer.

— Do not overload extension cords or outlets, and do not run an electrical cord under a rug.
— Avoid lighting candles. If you do use them, make sure they are in stable holders and place them where children, pets or cords from vacuum cleaners and such cannot easily knock them over. Consider where combustible items might be placed, avoiding places where candles might forgotten about over time. Never leave the house or go to sleep with candles burning. Of course, battery-powered, flameless “candles” are always preferred and are becoming more available in retail stores and on the web.

— As in every season, have working smoke alarms installed on every level of your home, test them monthly and keep them clean and equipped with fresh batteries at all times.

— Know when and how to call “911” for help.

— Remember to practice your home escape plan.


For more information, the public should contact the Shelton Fire Prevention Bureau, 203-924-1555 or on the web under “Public Safety” at www.cityofshelton.org.

Shelton FD provides prevention tips

SHELTON -The Shelton Fire Department, consisting of members of Echo Hose, Huntington, Pine Rock Park, and White Hills volunteer fire companies, are currently involved in fire safety activities that will continue through October.
These programs are part of an effort to reduce the chances of residents being injured or killed by fire in addition to preserving property.

To encourage greater care when cooking and an awareness of kitchen fire dangers, the National Fire Protection Association is promoting “Prevent Kitchen Fires” as the theme for this year’s Fire Prevention Week campaign.

In an effort to better educate everyone about fire safety, the Shelton Fire Department encourages everyone to have safe kitchen habits with stoves, microwaves and other appliances.
Ted Pisciotta, Assistant Chief-Fire Prevention, states “remaining attentive while cooking and managing how close children and pets are to anything hot will help keep families safe.”  
Use these important kitchen safety tips:

·         Be alert! If you are sleepy or have consumed alcohol don’t use the stove or stovetop.

·         Keep an eye on what you fry! Stay in the kitchen while you are frying, grilling, or broiling food. If you leave the kitchen for even a short period of time, turn off the stove.

·         If you are simmering, baking, roasting, or boiling food, check it regularly, remain in the home while food is cooking, and use a timer to remind you that you are cooking.

·         Keep anything that can catch fire – oven mitts, wooden utensils, food packaging, towels, or curtains – away from your stove top.

·         Have a “kid-free zone” of at least three feet around the stove and areas where hot food or drink is prepared or carried.

·       Turn pot handles away from the stove’s edge.

·         Keep a lid and oven mitt nearby when you’re cooking to use in case of a grease fire. If you have a grease fire, slide a lid over the pan. Turn off the burner and leave the pan covered until it is completely cool. 

In conjunction with making every effort to prevent a fire from ever happening, be prepared by maintaining working smoke alarms throughout the entire home. Follow these tips for making sure smoke alarms are maintained and working properly:

·         Test smoke alarms at least once a month using the test button, and make sure everyone in your home knows their sound.

·         If an alarm “chirps,” warning the battery is low, replace the battery right away.

·         Replace all smoke alarms, including alarms that use 10-year batteries and hard-wired alarms, when they’re 10 years old (or sooner) if they do not respond properly when tested.

·         Never remove or disable a smoke alarm.

Pisciotta is encouraging businesses, organizations, and individuals throughout the city to visit the Fire Prevention Bureau site by clicking on “Public Safety” at www.cityofshelton.org.
Easy to print and post fire safety tips are available. In addition, information may be copied and pasted into newsletters, etc.


This is a press release from the Shelton Fire Prevention Bureau.

Shelton FD issues holiday safety tips

SHELTON  - The days surrounding Independence Day typically present hazards of fire and burn injuries.

The most common involve cooking grills, wooden decks, and use fireworks or sparklers. 

Ted Pisciotta, Assistant Chief - Fire Prevention, suggests that everyone seriously consider the tragic consequences that a sudden mishap involving fireworks or a hot sparkler could cause.  Physical injuries could last a lifetime.  

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission points out those fireworks can have a life-altering impact on consumers, including severe eye injuries, loss of limbs, and even death. 

Last year, CPSC received reports of six men who were killed by professional-grade, homemade or banned firework devices.  

In addition, an estimated 8,700 consumers were treated in U.S. hospital emergency departments for fireworks-related injuries. 

About 1,000 reported injuries involved sparklers and bottle rockets, fireworks that are frequently and incorrectly considered safe for young children. This is in addition to fires resulting in property damage that are ignited. 

The Shelton Fire Prevention Bureau encourages everyone to consider the following:

• Locate grills and any propane tanks a safe distance from buildings, wooden decks and other combustibles.  Never store propane indoors!

• Only use charcoal starter fluids designed for grills and do not add fluid after coals have been lit.

• Avoid smoking on a wood deck.  If you permit smoking, use suitable disposal containers/ashtrays.  Never use paper or plastic cups, napkins etc.

• Avoid use of candles, open flame insect repellents, or decorative torches.  If used, considered safe locations away from anything that can burn or conditions where such items could be accidentally knocked over.

• Treat all fireworks, as suitable only for use by trained professionals.  Attend public firework displays that are pre-arranged under controlled conditions.  Stay back at least 500 feet from professional fireworks displays.

•  Avoid use of sparklers which can reach 1,200^oF according to the National fire Protection Association (NFPA). That is over three times hotter than it takes to bake a cake, and over 5 times hotter than it takes to boil water. Certainly hot enough to burn skin or ignite a fire. Children should never hold or be in close proximity to a sparkler.  StatelLaw requires buyers and users to be 16 years of age or older.  However, it should be understood that these devices may be dangerous to persons of any age.

Finally, as in every season, have working smoke alarms installed on every level of your home, test them monthly and keep them clean and equipped with fresh batteries at all times. Know when and how to call “911” for help.  

And remember to practice your home escape plan.

For more information, contact the Shelton Fire Prevention Bureau at 203-924-1555 or under Public Safety at www.cityofshelton.org.