With the holiday season upon us, our friends at the fire station would like to re mind you that they usually see an increase in the number of residential fires during the holiday season.
The top four things that cause residential holiday fires are Christmas trees, candles, holiday cooking, and space heaters. Here are a few tips to help keep this festive season safe for all:
• Only use decorations that are flame-retardant or not flammable.
• Check holiday lights each year for frayed wires or excessive wear.
• Don’t link more than three strands of holiday lights.
• Never leave a burning candle unattended. Consider using battery-operated flameless candles.
• Keep your live Christmas tree away from heat sources and room exits.
• Water your live Christmas tree daily to keep it from becoming dry.
According to the National Fire Protection Associa- tion, Christmas tree fires are not common, but when they happen, they can be very severe.
On average, one out of every 45 structure fires start ed by a Christmas tree results
in death; this compares to about one death in about ev- ery 140 home fires.
Leaf Pickup Reminder
Old Mother Nature sure caught me by surprise last week when I pinned my update for the newsletter; the vast majority of the trees in Meadowlakes still had their foliage on display with very few leaves falling, so I postponed leaf pickup one additional week, and by the end of the week it looked like it had snowed leaves. Leaf pickup will begin early on Tuesday, Dec. 13, with at least one additional pickup in late December or early January.
Please remember that once the leaf collection crew has passed your residence, they will not be able to return for an additional pickup and you will have to wait until the next scheduled pickup for your leaves to be removed.
Please rake your leaves into a windrow within five (5) feet of your curb by 7:00 a.m. Do not rake or blow leaves onto the streets; this violates City Ordinances.
It is anticipated that leaf collection will take several days to complete, so if we don’t get your leaves picked up on Tuesday, please be patient; the collection will continue until crews have made at least one round. (Please note that we may delay pickup due to the weather and watch the sign at the gate for updated information.)
Please Note: The regularly scheduled Dec. 15 brush pickup has been canceled but will resume on Dec. 22.
Roadway Safety Tips
While we all love living in our wonderful city, we must not become complacent with safety, especially while walking in the early morning or late afternoon. Since we don’t have sidewalks within the city, pedestrians take to the streets for those early morning and evening strolls. I, like most of the drivers that drive on our streets early in the morning or late evening, have been surprised that an unexpected walker appears in the headlights.
Most mornings, on my way to work or on my early morning rounds, I see at least one person walking in black without any lighting or reflective clothing, which is extremely dangerous. Listed below are a few nighttime pedestrian safety tips:
• Wear brightly colored clothing with some type of reflectors on their clothing or shoes to help them stand out from the headlights of vehicles.
• Carry some type of light with them, such as a flash - light or hat/headband with a light on it.
• Don’t be distracted by your phone; the glare of the phone can significantly im pair your vision; also, looking at your phone distracts your attention from what is happening around you. While it may be challenging, please don’t use your earbuds or headphones; they signifi cantly reduce your ability to hear any oncoming traffic.
• You should always assume that the motorist has not seen you, so always practice defensive walking.
For the motoring public, please remember that the speed limit in Meadowlakes is 25 mph, and always assume that a pedestrian in the street is unaware of you approaching them.
Johnnie Thompson is the city manager for the city of Meadowlakes. He writes a weekly report in a news- letter for the citizens of the community.