Fire Safety Week is from October 8 to October 14, 2023.
Fall is here and so heating season. In the Fire Department when we think of fall, we think of fire safety. This year’s theme is:
“Cooking Safety starts with YOU! Pay attention to fire prevention.”
During Fire Safety Week the Stockbridge Fire Department visits the schools to teach the children in preschool to second grade basic fire safety concepts which they will take home to their families.
The theme this year, is Kitchen fires. They are the most common cause of fires in your home or apartments. They are also the leading cause of fire related injuries and deaths in the United States. To decrease the likelihood of kitchen fires, follow these simple rules:
Never leave anything cooking on cooktop or range unattended
Never store items on your cooktop or range or in your oven including pots, pans and cookie sheets
Never leave your house with anything cooking in the oven
Never leave small children unattended around the cooktop or range when cooking
Clean your cooktop or range and oven regularly.
Always make sure you use a pot or pan big enough to avoid spilling or boiling over.
Always use or have nearby the lid or a flat cookie sheet to totally cover any pot or pan in use.
Always keep the area around your cooktop or range free of any combustible items like paper, plastics, etc.,
Wear short sleeves, cotton-based materials when using the cooktop or range to prevent your clothes from accidentally catching fire.
If possible, keep an ABC type dry chemical fire extinguisher easily accessible in the kitchen.
Should you ever have a small fire on the cooktop or range you may follow this procedure to extinguish the fire: turn off the cooktop or range, use the lid or cookie sheet to totally cover the pot or pan by sliding it away from you and across the top of the pan until it is fully in place, call 911, and evacuate the home or apartment immediately.
If you do not believe it is safe to try and extinguish the fire yourself then call 911 and immediately evacuate the home or apartment.
If you have a fire extinguisher and are comfortable in using it, use it before evacuation provided the fire is still confined to the cooktop or range area and any smoke present is above your head and not where you can breathe it in.
Editor’s note: The Chief will have more information and tips on fire safety in the next issue of SU.
