Next week is Fire Prevention Week, and Langley Township fire crews will be spotted around the community providing educations tips to the public.
Fire Prevention Week (FPW) runs Sunday, Oct. 8 to Saturday, Oct. 14, and aims to educate people about the simple, but important, things they can do to keep themselves safe from fire.
This year’s theme centres on cooking safety, a leading cause of house fires and house fire injuries.
“Distracted cooking is one of the biggest cooking fires that we’re seeing,” explained Krista Barton, captain of public safety and community risk at the Township fire department.
For the month of October, the fire department will be running a social media campaign about cooking safety.
To wrap up the week, some firefighters will attend Home Depot’s Kids Workshop on Saturday, Oct. 14 – which runs the second Saturday of each month.
“We will have handouts and be able to answer fire safety questions,” she said.
A booth will also be on site and the fire crew on duty will stop by to visit the kids from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m.
“Our big focus is just being alert, making sure you’re staying in the kitchen while you’re cooking – especially with frying or grilling, or boiling,” Barton said.
The Langley Home Depot is located at 6550 200th St.
Ahead of FPW, Barton offered some tips to stay safe while cooking.
- Stay alert: if you are sleepy or have consumed alcohol, don’t use the stove or stove top
- Stay in the kitchen: especially when frying, grilling, boiling, or broiling food. If you have to leave the kitchen, turn the stove off.
- Check cooking food regularly: particularly when simmering, baking, or roasting. Use a timer to help you remember something is cooking.
- Keep the stove clear of fire hazards: oven mitts, wooden utensils, food packaging, towels, or curtains can catch fire.
- Have a kid-free zone: at least of three-feet (one metre) around the stove and areas where hot food or drink is prepared or carried.
If a cooking fire does occur, Barton suggested the following tips:
- Get out of the house. When you leave, close the door behind you to help contain the fire.
- Call 9-1-1.
- Keep a lid nearby when you’re cooking. It will help smother small grease fires by sliding the lid over the pan, and turn off the stove top. Leave the pan covered until it’s completely cool.
- If you try to fight the fire, make sure others are getting out of the house and that you have a clear way out too.
- For an oven fire, turn off the heat and keep the door closed.
“Often when we’re called to a cooking-related fire, the residents tell us they only left the kitchen for a few minutes. Sadly, that’s all it takes for a disaster to strike,” Barton concluded.
For more information on cooking safety, people can visit nfpa.org.
Fire Prevention Week is observed internationally each year during the week of Oct. 9 in commemoration of the Great Chicago Fire, which began on Oct. 8, 1871. It killed 250 people, left 100,000 people homeless, destroyed more than 17,400 structures, and burned more than 2,000 acres of land.
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