Fire Prevention Week

As Fire Prevention Week approaches, West Plains Fire & Rescue reminds residents:

“Cooking safety starts with YOU. Pay attention to fire prevention.”

The City of West Plains Fire and Rescue is teaming up with the National Fire Protection Association® (NFPA®) — the official sponsor of Fire Prevention Week^TM (FPW)  for more than 100 years — to promote this year’s FPW campaign, “Cooking safety starts with YOU. Pay attention to fire prevention^TM.” The campaign works to educate everyone about simple but important actions they can take when cooking to keep themselves and those around them safe.  

According to NFPA, cooking is the leading cause of home fires and home fire injuries in the United States. Unattended cooking is the leading cause of cooking fires and deaths.

“Year after year, cooking remains the leading cause of home fires by far, accounting for half (49 percent) of all U.S. home fires,” said Lorraine Carli, vice president of outreach and advocacy at NFPA. “These numbers tell us that there is still much work to do when it comes to better educating the public about ways to stay safe when cooking.”

The WPFD encourages all residents to embrace the 2023 Fire Prevention Week theme, “Cooking safety start with YOU,” said Assistant Chief Christopher Sterner. “A cooking fire can grow quickly. I have seen many homes damaged and people injured by fires that could easily have been prevented.”

West Plains Fire & Rescue offers these key safety tips to help reduce the risk of a cooking fire.

1. Watch what you heat. Always keep a close eye on what you are cooking. Set a timer to remind you that you are cooking. 
2.  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.
3. 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.

The WPFD is hosting a series of events in support of this year’s FPW campaign.

To find out more about FPW programs and activities in the West Plains are, please contact the WPFD at 417-256-2424. For more general information about Fire Prevention Week and cooking safety, visit www.fpw.org. For fire safety fun for kids, visit sparky.org.