Keep the wreath lit for safety

By ALAN EDRINN

The DeKalb Fire Department is asking for help to keep its wreaths red this holiday season.

Red wreaths were hung Thursday at all three DeKalb fire stations and will be displayed until Jan. 1 as part of DeKalb’s Red Wreath Program.

Only red bulbs will be placed in the wreaths when they are put up. When there is a fire emergency related to the holiday season, a red bulb will be replaced by a white one.

The program started in 1986 as a way to focus community attention on fire and home safety during the holiday season, according to DeKalb Fire Department press release.

“It is designed to be a fairly simple way to draw attention to fire safety in the holiday season,” said Assistant Fire Chief Scott Love.

Examples of typical holiday fire hazards are Christmas trees with faulty ornament lighting or unattended candles, Love said.

Last year, the wreaths were displayed for 39 days and no fires were directly related to the holiday season, according to the press release.