Hinsdale Promotes 'Keep The Wreath Red'

Press release from the Village of Hinsdale:

Nov. 30, 2022

The Hinsdale Fire Department will once again team up with the Illinois Fire Chiefs Association and neighboring fire departments in the “Keep the Wreath Red” program. This year, the program will run from Thanksgiving Day, Thursday, November 24, 2022 through Monday, January 9th, 2023.

“Keep the Wreath Red” is a holiday fire safety program designed to increase fire safety awareness. You will find a holiday wreath hanging just inside the Hinsdale Fire Station’s Mini Museum, which is the small building located near the entrance way of the main fire station at 121 Symonds Drive in Hinsdale. In the event of a holiday-related fire, firefighters will replace one of the red bulbs with a white one. The goal is to keep the bulbs on that wreath red.

Fire safety reminders for a safe holiday season include:

• Check all your illuminated decorations to make sure they are in good condition. Light strands that have frayed or cracked wires should be thrown away and replaced with UL approved devices. Outside cords should be approved for exterior uses and inside cords should not be placed under carpets or throw rugs.
• Keep live Christmas trees watered frequently. Be aware of your tree’s condition and when it becomes brittle, discontinue using the lights. Always turn of the lights when leaving your home.
• Use extreme caution with holiday candles and all other open flames to assure they are safe and will not set fire to nearby objects.
• Make sure your fireplace is in good working order and the chimney is free from obstructions and creosote build-up. Christmas wrappings and tree branches are not to be burned in the fireplace. Their intense and rapid burning can cause chimney fires and flames to extend out of the firebox into your home.
• As always, check you smoke detectors and make sure they are in good working order. If your detector requires you to change the batteries, it is always a good habit to change the batteries when you changed your clocks in October, change them now.

For more information, please contact the Village of Hinsdale Fire Department at (630) 789-7060, or visit the Village of Hinsdale website at www.villageofhinsdale.org.

This press release was produced by the Village of Hinsdale. The views expressed here are the author's own.