For decades, the city of Wilmington was thought of as primarily a tourist destination, but that is no longer the case. We don’t mean to say the largest coastal North Carolina city doesn’t welcome its fair share of visitors each year to enjoy the historic downtown and plentiful beach; however, the city’s economy is thriving in a variety of industries. 

The Wilmington area is growing almost as fast as any city in central or eastern North Carolina. In fact, the population of the city itself has doubled since 1990. Some of that growth has spilled out beyond the coast, with cities and towns throughout the coastal plain and sandhills like Whiteville and Lumberton welcoming new residents. 

As the seasons change and fall fades to winter, the holiday season begins in earnest. While it is a time for celebration and joy, Thanksgiving and Christmas have inherent dangers. 

From Christmas trees getting too dry to excessive traffic on interstates like I-40 and I-95, firefighters and first responders have their work cut out for them this time of year. 

Here are some of the dangers of holiday firefighting and how the team at StreetWise® can help. 

Dangers of Fighting Fire During the Holidays in Eastern North Carolina

There are many causes of concern for firefighters and paramedics during the holidays in eastern North Carolina, such as:

• Christmas Trees: Every year, roughly 160 Christmas tree fires are put out by firefighters. The placement of Christmas trees too close to heat sources is one of the most common causes of Christmas tree fires.
• Christmas Decorations: During the holiday season, firefighters respond to an average of 770 structural fires each year. 
• Candles for Christmas: Candles are responsible for half of all Christmas decoration fires, according to the National Fire Protection Association. While candles can help create a pleasant and peaceful atmosphere at holiday events, an open flame can be dangerous near decorations.
• Dinners for Christmas and Thanksgiving: There is a lot of food to prepare for Christmas and Thanksgiving celebrations. Cooking is the regrettable cause of many structure fires, especially at this time of year.
• Accidental poisonings: During the holidays, one potentially overlooked threat is the possibility of children being accidentally poisoned. There is often alcohol readily available at many holiday work and family events. Additionally, some medicine cabinets may not be as secure as families are accustomed to. 

Wilmington, Lumberton, and Whiteville’s Full Featured Fire and EMS Software

The holidays can be a nightmare for firefighters and paramedics. You make every effort to spend as much time as possible with your own families, but you know you'll be overworked. It's easy to be pessimistic about this season. With the correct tools in place, you can approach calls with greater confidence and efficiency over the holidays and throughout the year.

StreetWise® is a full-featured software suite built exclusively for Fire & EMS. You no longer need to rely on cumbersome computers or systems meant for police departments with our complete software and tablet. 

If you are ready to improve your department’s ability to respond to calls during this season and throughout the year, contact StreetWise today.