QUINCY, Mass. — The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) — the official sponsor of Fire Prevention Week for more than 100 years — has announced “Cooking safety starts with YOU! Pay attention to fire prevention” as the theme for Fire Prevention Week, to be held later this year from Oct. 8-14.
This year’s focus on cooking safety works to educate the public about simple but important steps they can take to help reduce the risk of fire when cooking at home, keeping themselves and those around them safe.
According to NFPA, cooking is the leading cause of home fires, with nearly half (49 percent) of all home fires involving cooking equipment; cooking is also the leading cause of home fire injuries. Unattended cooking is the leading cause of home cooking fires and related deaths.
“These numbers tell us that more public awareness is needed around when and where cooking hazards exist, along with ways to prevent them,” said Lorraine Carli, vice president of the Outreach and Advocacy at NFPA. “This year’s Fire Prevention Week campaign will work to promote tips, guidelines and recommendations that can help significantly reduce the risk of having a cooking fire.”
The following are cooking safety messages that support this year’s theme:
“Staying in the kitchen, using a timer and avoiding distractions that remove your focus from what’s on the stove are among the key messages for this year’s Fire Prevention Week campaign,” said Carli.
Fire Prevention Week is celebrated throughout North American every October, and is the oldest public health observance on record in the U.S. Entering its 101st year, Fire Prevention Week works to educate people about the leading risks to home fires and ways they can better protect themselves and their loved ones.
Local fire departments, schools, and community organizations play a key role in bringing Fire Prevention Week to life in their communities each year and spreading basic but critical fire safety messages.
To learn more about Fire Prevention Week and this year’s theme, “Cooking safety starts with YOU! Pay attention to fire prevention,” visit www.fpw.org. Additional Fire Prevention Week resources for children, caregivers, and educators can be found at www.sparky.org and www.sparkyschoolhouse.org.
