Thursday, October 1, 2026
Nassau County fire officials and the Nassau County Firefighters Museum & Education Center are reminding the community to prioritize fire safety during the holiday season.
County firefighters demonstrated the dangers of an untreated Christmas tree during a live fire demonstration at the Nassau County V.E.E.B. Fire Service Academy in Old Bethpage on Dec. 9. The demonstration showed how quickly a home can go from festive to destructive, with a Christmas tree fire completely consuming a room in just one minute.
Paul Wilders, chief of the Fire Service Academy, spoke on the importance of fire safety during this time of year.
“We do our best to prepare first responders, but this demonstration is aimed at the public,” Wilders said. “As beautiful and festive as the holidays are, tragedies can happen if we're not vigilant.”
Joining Wilders at the event were Alana Petrocelli, executive director of the Nassau County Firefighters Museum & Education Center; John Rottkamp, executive director of Nassau County Vocational Education and Extension Board; Nassau County Chief Fire Marshal Michael Uttaro; and others.
“We don’t want any accidents in our homes, especially as holiday decorations go up,” Petrocelli said during her fire safety message. “It’s important to be mindful of the wires you're using, avoid overloading electrical outlets, and make sure your tree and decorations don’t block exits.”
The demonstration featured a live Christmas tree, presents, and furniture, which were set ablaze to show how quickly fire can spread. Firefighters Josiah Reed and Alex Thompson extinguished the flames in the academy's burn building.
Fire officials emphasized the need for working smoke detectors and fire safety precautions not only during the holidays but throughout the year.
