From October 6 to 12, the Arcadia Fire Department is joining forces with the nonprofit National Fire Protection Association to remind local residents of the 2013 Fire Prevention Week theme: “Prevent Kitchen Fires.”
During this year's fire safety campaign, firefighters will be spreading the word about the dangers of kitchen fires--most of which result from unattended cooking--and teaching local residents how to prevent kitchen fires from starting in the first place.
According to the latest NFPA research, cooking is the leading cause of home fires. Two of every five home fires begin in the kitchen—more than any other place in the home. Cooking fires are also the leading cause of home fire-related injuries.
Among the safety tips that firefighters will be emphasizing are the following:
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- Stay in the kitchen when you are frying, grilling, broiling, or boiling food.
- If you must leave the room, even for a short period of time, turn off the stove.
- When you are simmering, baking, or roasting food, check it regularly, stay in the home, and use a timer to remind you.
- If you have young children, use the stove’s back burners whenever possible. Keep children and pets at least three feet away from the stove.
- When you cook, wear clothing with tight-fitting sleeves to minimize the chance of sleeves catching on fire.
- Keep items that can burn--such as potholders, oven mitts, wooden utensils, paper and plastic bags, and towels--away from your stovetop.
- Clean up food and grease from burners and stovetops.
During the month of October 2013, the Arcadia Fire Department will be spreading the word and providing information on how to "Prevent Kitchen Fires." for further information, click on the following links or call the Arcadia Fire Department Fire Prevention Bureau at (626) 574-5104. Happy cooking!
How much do you know about kitchen fire safety? Take this trivia quiz to find out.