2023 Fire Prevention Week Focusing on Cooking Safety
MOOSE JAW, SK- The Moose Jaw Fire Department is teaming up with the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), the official sponsor of Fire Prevention Week (FPW) for more than 100 years, to promote this year’s FPW campaign, “Cooking safety starts with YOU. Pay attention to fire prevention.”
The campaign runs from October 8-14, 2023, and works to educate everyone about simple but important actions they can take when cooking to keep themselves and those around them safe. Cooking is the leading cause of home fires and home fire injuries in Canada. “Year after year, cooking remains the leading cause of home fires by far,” said Lorraine Carli, Vice President of outreach and advocacy at NFPA. “This tell us that there is still much work to do when it comes to educating the public about ways to stay safe when cooking.”
The Moose Jaw Fire Department encourages all residents to embrace the 2023 Fire Prevention Week theme, “Cooking safety start with YOU,” said Cathie Bassett, Public Education Officer. “A cooking fire can grow quickly. I have seen many homes damaged and people injured by fires that could easily have been prevented.”
Moose Jaw Fire Department offers these key safety tips to help reduce the risk of a 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 cooking. 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 1 metre around the stove or grill and anywhere else hot food or drink is prepared or carried.
The Moose Jaw Fire Department is hosting two days of Fire Hall Tours at our South Hill Firehall on October 11 & 12 for grades 6 – 8 students in support of this year’s FPW campaign and the initiation of their future years of cooking.
For more general information about Fire Prevention Week and cooking safety, visit www.fpw.org. For fire safety fun for kids, visit sparky.org.