For release on:
10-01-2013
For more information contact:
Richie Guill, Asst. Fire Marshal
434-799-5226
guillrn@ci.danville.va.us
Danville Fire Department Reminds City Residents to 'Prevent Kitchen Fires’
Danville, Virginia, (10-01-2013—It's time for Fire Prevention Week, and from October 6-12 Danville Fire Department is joining forces with the nonprofit National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) to remind local residents to ‘Prevent Kitchen Fires.' During this year's fire safety campaign, fire departments 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.
The Danville Fire Department responds to multiple unattended cooking fires a week within the City of Danville. Cooking is the number one cause of fire in the City. Often the occupants tell us that they had only left the kitchen for a few minutes before the fire occurred. Today we are so distracted with electronics, T.V, phones, and other things we often lose track of time.
Among the safety tips that firefighters and safety advocates will be emphasizing:
• 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 away from the stove.
• When you cook, wear clothing with tight-fitting sleeves.
• Keep potholders, oven mitts, wooden utensils, paper and plastic bags, towels, and anything else that can burn, away from your stovetop.
• Clean up food and grease from burners and stovetops.
Fire Prevention Week is actively supported by fire departments across the country. Fire Prevention Week is the longest running public health and safety observance on record.