Mayor Evans Proclaims Oct. 8-14 as Fire Prevention Week
Mayor Malik D. Evans has proclaimed the week of Oct. 8 through 14 as Fire Prevention Week in Rochester to bring attention to the fact that most fires in homes, workplaces and schools can be prevented with a few simple precautions.
This year’s Fire Prevention Week theme is “Cooking Safety Starts with YOU! Pay Attention to Fire Safety” to remind people that kitchen fires are the leading source of fires in the home and can be prevented.
“Residents are strongly encouraged to exercise such precautions as staying in the kitchen when frying food, moving flammable materials away from stoves, turning pot and pan handles inward on the stove, and keeping children and pets at least three feet away from cooking areas,” Mayor Evans stated in the Proclamation. “And also remember that working smoke detectors in the home are the best tool to provide an early warning in the event of fire; and families are strongly encouraged to practice exit drills in the home, because every second counts.”
National Fire Prevention Week was established in 1922 to fall on the week that includes Oct. 9 in commemoration of the Great Chicago Fire of 1871 and a lesser known but equally devastating forest fire that consumed the town of Peshtigo, Wis. on the same day. The annual theme is determined by the National
Fire Protection Association, which is partnering with the Rochester Fire Department.
The RFD offers these key safety tips to reduce the risks of 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 coking. 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 3 feet (1 meter) around the stove or grill and anywhere else hot food or drink is prepared or carried.
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