National Fire Safety Week-October 4-10, 2020

9/24/2020 (Permalink)

October 4-10, 2020 is designated as National Fire Safety Week.  The theme of this year’s campaign is Serving up Fire Safety in the Kitchen.  The National Fire Safety campaign is sponsored by the National Fire Prevention Association.  The weeklong event began in 1922 and in 1925 President Calvin Coolidge proclaimed national observance of it.  This campaign is the longest running public health observance in the nation.  It was established to commemorate the great Chicago fire that began October 8, 1871.  The horrific fire killed over 250 people, left over 100,000 people homeless, destroyed 17400 building and affected 2000 acres of land.  Fire prevention week is observed each year during the week of October 9^th.    This year’s theme is very appropriate as cooking is the leading cause of home fires and injuries.  As we look forward to observing the upcoming event, we must be conscious to make fire safety, especially in the kitchen a common practice.   

Here are the top 10 things we can do to be safe in the kitchen.

1. Keep appliances serviced and in good repair.
2. Never leave cooking items unattended.
3. Turn pot and pan handles inside to prevent them from being snagged when someone passes by or pulled off by a child.
4. Keep area clear of flammable items such as potholders, or loose-fitting clothing.
5. Never overfill pots or pans.
6. Make sure grease does not get too hot. When you observe a wisp of smoke turn the temperature down.
7. Have a smoke detector installed near the kitchen.
8. Have an ABC fire extinguisher in the kitchen.
9. Never cook when sleepy, or under the influence of alcohol.

• Unplug small appliances when not in use.