Fire Prevention Week reminds that cooking safety starts with you

LOGO 2019

PRESS RELEASE

DATE:              October 3, 2023

TO:                  Local Media Outlets

FROM:             Mike Lawrence, Interim Fire Chief

RE:                   Fire Prevention Week reminds cooking safety starts with you

The Fort Atkinson Fire Department is teaming up with the National Fire Protection Association® (NFPA®)— to promote this year’s FPW campaign, “Cooking safety starts with YOU. Pay attention to fire preventionTM.” Fire Prevention Week is celebrated October 8-14, 2023 and the campaign works to educate everyone about simple but important actions they can take when cooking to keep themselves and those around them safe. 

According to NFPA, cooking is the leading cause of home fires and home fire injuries in the United States. Unattended cooking is the leading cause of cooking fires and deaths.

“Year after year, cooking remains the leading cause of home fires by far, accounting for half (49 percent) of all U.S. home fires,” said Lorraine Carli, vice president of outreach and advocacy at NFPA. “These numbers tell us that there is still much work to do when it comes to better educating the public about ways to stay safe when cooking.”

The Fort Atkinson Fire Department encourages all residents to embrace the 2023 Fire Prevention Week theme, “Cooking safety start with YOU,” said Mike Lawrence, Interim Fire Chief. “A cooking fire can grow quickly. I have seen many homes damaged and people injured by fires that could easily have been prevented.”

The Fort Atkinson Fire Department offers these key safety tips to help reduce the risk of a cooking fire.

  1. Watch what you heat. Always keep a close eye on what you are cooking. Set a timer to remind you that you are cooking.
  2. Turn pot handles toward the back of the stove. Always keep a lid nearby when cooking. If a small grease fire starts, slide the lid over the pan and turn off the burner.
  3. Have a “kid- and pet-free zone” of at least 3 feet (1 meter) around the stove or grill and anywhere else hot food or drink is prepared or carried.

The Fort Atkinson Fire Department, 128 Milwaukee Ave. W., will hold an Open House at the department on October 14, 2023 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. There will be brats, hotdogs, raffles, stations tours, gear and tool demos and an extrication demo at 12:30 p.m.

To find out more about the Fort Atkinson Fire Department call 920-397-9908. For more general information about Fire Prevention Week and fire prevention in general, visit fpw.org and sparky.org. For more information about smoke and carbon monoxide alarms go to www.fortatkinsonwi.gov/fire.

 

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