CINCINNATI (WXIX) - The Colerain Fire Department is reminding the community to remain cautious of fire risks this holiday season.
Big or small, fires are common during the winter months, which is why Colerain Township FD is holding a "Keep the Wreath Red" campaign for the tenth year in a row.
Every time there's a fire, the department takes a red light from the wreath hanging on the station and turns it white.
"When you're driving by the fire station at night, there's an indicator that a family's been affected by a fire," Assistant Fire Chief Shane Packer explains.
There have been four structure fires in Colerain Township since Thanksgiving this year. Packer says the most common cause is space heaters.
"You've got to keep it at least three feet away from any combustible, anything that can burn," Packer continues. "If you're using any kind of generator, you want to keep that outside."
With the holidays, people are cooking more often and in larger quantities, which Packer says can also start fires. He shares that the biggest thing one can do to prevent this is not to leave food unattended while it's cooking.
Packer recommends having fireplaces and chimneys cleaned by professionals, and most of all, having a functional smoke detector with working batteries.
"We want to make sure everyone has smoke detectors on all levels of their residence; they have smoke detectors in all bedrooms and outside of bedrooms because early detection is critical in saving a life," Packer states.
The Colerain Township FD tells FOX19 NOW a resident of Grosvenor Drive was woken by their smoke detector just yesterday, Dec. 22, and was able to get to safety; they were treated for smoke inhalation and expected to make a full recovery.