Christmas quiet time for fires

Local firefighters responded to only a few calls over the Christmas holiday.
Dave Crichton reported Tuesday morning the last call of note was a car fire in the Canadian Tire parking lot last Wednesday afternoon.
“Other than that, we had a few alarm responses and stuff like that, but it didn’t amount to anything,” he noted.
“So generally speaking, people were having a safe holiday and doing things right,” Crichton added.
In related news, the Fort Frances Fire Brigade will hold its annual Christmas tree pick-up on Jan. 14—the first Saturday following Ukrainian Christmas.
The tree pick-up—a tradition started here years ago by the now-defunct Jaycees—is not only a community service of sorts, but also a fire safety measure.
While members of the brigade actually do the pick-up, which will start around 2 p.m., a number of local businesses lend trucks, trailers, and other equipment to make the transportation and destruction of the trees possible.
Most of the trees are shredded and taken to the landfill. But in the past, some have been brought to the airport and Rusty Myers Flying Service to use to mark runways in the winter.
Residents are urged to make sure their Christmas trees are easily identifiable. If they are wrapped in plastic, for instance, make sure you rip part of the covering open so the tree inside can be seen.
In the case of any heavy snowfall, make sure the tree is at least partially visible in the snow bank.
Once again, residents who have their trees picked up are encouraged to give a donation to the fire department, either by giving it to firefighters doing the collecting, leaving it in their mail box, or dropping it off at the fire hall.
Proceeds go to a local charitable cause, which in the past have included the Riverside Foundation for Health Care or “Risk Watch” fire safety program.
The Fort Frances Fire Brigade earlier this month donated $500 of its tree pick-up fund to the Fort Frances Volunteer Bureau’s community Christmas dinner.