CPD and CFD caution residents of safety hazards during holiday celebrations

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

The Columbia Police Department is cautioning residents to be aware of the risk around home robbers and package thieves this holiday season.

Lt. Clint Sinclair, with CPD, tells ABC 17 News the holidays create the perfect opportunity for them to commit their crimes. He said people should not leave things, like boxes from big name items, in plain sight for everyone to see.

Sinclair also suggested home lighting, specifically motion lights, as a way to deter criminals.

If someone is not home but they are still recieving packages their door, Sinclar said to ask a neighbor or trusted friend to grab the package and hold onto it. He said leaving a car in the driveway can also help people's homes look occupied if no one is home either.  

Columbia Fire officials tell ABC 17 News its also the peak time for home fires. Colin Wright, Columbia Assistant Fire Marshal, said the months of December, January and February make up about 40% of all home fires in the country. One of those causes being candle fires. Wright said 12% of all candle fires happpen in Dec. and 10% happen in Jan.

Wright said the candle fires tend to stem from candles mixed with home decorations, or in Christmas trees. He suggested fake or electronic candles as a safer alternative.

Cooking fires also make up between 42% to 48% of all fires in the U.S. with an noticeable increase around the holidays. Wright said CFD responds to at least two to three unattended cooking fires each year during the holidays. He recommends setting timers and staying in the kitchen to best avoid the possibility of a fire.

Wright listed Christmas lights as another hazard, a hazard many people may not even think to look out for.

"Before you put your Christmas lights up, you should be looking over your wires, making sure that everything is intact, everything's working well," Wright said. "If you're still using older incandescent light bulbs, switch to LED lights they don't produce as much heat as the incandescent bulbs."

According to Wright, CFD has seen a decrease in Christmas tree fires that they credit to ongoing education. Wright said reports tally about 143 Christmas tree fires each year.