The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), the official sponsor of Fire Prevention Week for more than 95 years, has announced "Serve Up Fire Safety in the Kitchen" as the theme for Fire Prevention Week, which runs through Saturday, Oct. 10. This year's focus on cooking fire safety is supported by findings from NFPA's newly released "U.S. Home Cooking Fires" report, which shows that cooking is the leading cause of U.S. home fires and home fire injuries.
This year's Fire Prevention Week campaign works to better educate the public about where potential cooking hazards exist, along with basic but critical ways to prevent them. Unattended cooking is the leading cause of U.S. home cooking fires and associated fatalities.
The NFPA advised community members that they should never leave cooking unattended and they should keep a close eye on what is cooking. Oven mitts, wooden utensils, dish towels and anything else that can catch fire should be removed well away from the stovetop and other cooking equipment.
People should also make sure they are alert while cooking. If they are tired or are taking medication or other substances that can cause drowsiness, individuals should avoid cooking.
Focusing on these and other cooking safety issues during Fire Prevention Week is timely because of the pandemic. As many people continue to remain at home in response to COVID-19, cooking may continue to occur at increased levels, presenting a greater risk for associated fires.
For more information about Fire Prevention Week and this year's theme, along with resources to help promote the campaign locally, readers may visit http://www.fpw.org. For more information, readers may also visit http://www.nfpa.org.
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