NICK GOSNELL
Hutch Post
HUTCHINSON, Kan. — The Hutchinson 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 works to educate everyone about simple but important actions they can take when cooking to keep themselves and those around them safe.
"Cooking fires still are the leading cause of home fires year after year," said Hutchinson Fire Marshal Mike Cain. "Forty-nine percent of all home fires start in the kitchen."
Paying attention is the key to staying safe.
"Two of the main causes of cooking fires or kitchen fires, one is unattended or inattentive cooking," Cain said. "The other is, the way of the world now, everybody's so busy, you get in there and you start cooking, the kids or the dogs or the pets, come in, distract you and next thing you know, you're in the living room and the kitchen's on fire."
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.
"You want to create a space in your kitchen, kind of a safe space," Cain said. "We look at three feet around the stove or the grill, if you're outside grilling. Now, everybody's using the Blackstones. It's the same type of thing. Kind of keep a three foot space around there with no kids or pets to distract you."
For more information, contact the Hutchinson Fire Department at (620) 694-2871.
Includes information provided by NFPA for Fire Prevention Week.
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