TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WTXL) - As we prepare for the holidays whether that is decorating the Christmas tree and wrapping presents the Tallahassee Fire Department and the State Fire Marshal wants to remind you about how quickly things can turn dangerous.
"Every year 200 fires start because of Christmas trees and those do a damage of anywhere between 15 to 17 million dollars worth of damage and that's what we want to prevent," said Todd Pierce with the state Fire Marshal office.
Tallahassee Fire Department crews held a demonstration on Thursday of how neglecting to water your Christmas tree can turn your home into flames and how important it is to have a working smoke detector.
"They're there for your protection to save lives and we've seen so many cases, all of us could talk, about families that got out and that early notification," said Deputy Fire Chief Richard Jones.
TFD and the State Fire Marshal offer these tips:
- Water your tree daily
- Turn OFF lights when leaving the house or going to bed
- Have an emergency exit plan with TWO ways out of your home so everyone can have safe and happy holidays.
