Cooking safety starts with YOU!
Fire Prevention Week runs October 8 – 15
Picton, ON – Prince Edward County Fire & Rescue is teaming up with the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) to promote Fire Prevention Week (FPW), October 8-15.
This year’s campaign — Cooking safety starts with YOU — aims to educate everyone about simple but important actions to take when cooking to keep themselves and those around them safe. Cooking is the leading cause of home fires and home-fire injuries in Canada.
“A cooking fire can grow quickly. I have seen many homes damaged and people injured by fires that could easily have been prevented,” says Mike Branscombe, Fire Prevention Officer, Prince Edward County Fire & Rescue.
Follow these key safety tips to reduce the risk of a cooking fire:
- Watch what you heat. Always keep a close eye on what you are cooking. Set a timer to remind you that you are cooking.
- 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.
- Have a “kid- and pet-free zone” of at least 1 metre around the stove, grill or other areas where hot food or drink is prepared or carried.
“Year after year, cooking remains the leading cause of home fires by far. This tell us that there is still much work to do when it comes to educating the public about ways to stay safe when cooking,” says Lorraine Carli, Vice President of Outreach and Advocacy at NFPA.
Prince Edward County Fire & Rescue is going door-to-door during Fire Prevention Week promote fire safety. Fire staff in uniform will be visiting neighborhoods across the County every day from 6 – 8 pm.
To find out more about FPW programs in the County, call 613.476.2345. For general information about FPW and cooking safety, visit www.fpw.org. For fire safety fun for kids, visit sparky.org.