EVESHAM FIRE REMINDS RESIDENTS TO STAY SAFE THIS WINTER SEASON Wednesday, November 11, 2009 - Evesham Fire-Rescue would like to remind residents to stay safe during the winter months.  Holiday decoration fires, home heating appliance malfunctions and fires and sledding mishaps are a common occurence in our Township which we would all like to avoid. Festive lights, ornamented trees, candles and other in-home decorations are not the only indicators that the holidays are upon us.  According to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), December and January are the peak months for the overall number of home fires, deaths and injuries. Families looking to spread holiday cheer should also be aware that each year an average of 240 home fires start with Christmas trees and an additional 1,300 begin with various other seasonal decorations.  Candles  in particular are responsible for 71 percent of December home fires that begin as a result of improper decorating practices. Ensure that space heaters are not left on when no one is home and also maintain proper clearances to carpets, drapery and other combustible objects.  Make sure that your heater has been serviced, the flue is clear, and you have a functioning Carbon Monoxide Detector installed in your home on each floor, or at a minimum, in the main family room and outside the bedrooms. Sledding and winter sports mishaps also occur frequently.  Make sure children do not engage in these activities during heavy snow or at night when it is hard to see.  Have children use hills that do not exit/end on a street for risk of being struck.  Lastly, make sure adults and teenagers alike are using sound judgement and resist the urge to pull sledders behind  a car.  Let's all avoid a wintertime tragedy. If you ever have concerns about your home heating appliance, call a qualified repair person.  If your CO detector is sounding, immediately call 911 for a fire department response and exit the house.  When the weather is cold and you exit the house, do not forget to grab your car keys and place your fanily in the car---It's OK to turn the heat on and wait for the fire department.