Fire Prevention Week 2009
Fire Prevention Week is upon us and serves as a reminder to "Stay Fire Smart! Don't Get Burned!" Fire prevention week commemorates the Great Chicago Fire, the two day blaze that killed at least 250 people and left 100,000 homeless and destroyed 17,000 buildings October 8th and 9th, 1871.
This year's theme focuses on ways to keep homes fire safe from the leading causes of home fires, injuries and deaths. The campaign also provides burn prevention safety tips.
Cooking is the leading cause of home fires and injuries. Cooking equipment is involved in 40% of all reported home fires each year. Unattended cooking is the leading cause of cooking fires. To help prevent fires in your kitchen, pay attention to your cooking. Stay in the kitchen when you are frying, grilling, or broiling food. If you must leave the room, even for a short period of time, turn off the stove. When you are simmering, boiling, baking or roasting food, check it regularly, stay in the home and use a timer to remind you when your food should be ready.
Smoking is the leading cause of fire deaths. One out of four victims of fatal smoking related fires is not the smoker whose cigarette started the fire. Ask smokers to smoke outside. Provide them with deep sturdy ashtrays. Never smoke if you are tired, have had alcohol, or have taken medicine or drugs that make you sleepy. Keep smoking materials away from things that can burn, like bedding, furniture, and clothing.
Electrical fires account for 21,200 fires in homes each year, resulting in 370 deaths. When buying, selling or remodeling your home, have a complete professional inspection of your electrical system. Install arc fault circuit interrupters (AFCIs) to protect electrical outlets. These AFCIs protect against fire by continuously monitoring the electrical current in a circuit and shuts it off when arcing occurs.
Heating is the second leading cause of fire deaths in this country. Keep space heaters at least 3 feet away from people or anything that can burn such as curtains, bedding or furniture. Turn portable space heaters off when you go to bed or leave the room. Have heating equipment professionally inspected and serviced each year. Have your chimneys cleaned and inspected before each heating season.
The most common types of burn injuries are from fire/flame burns, scalds, and contact burns. Keep hot foods and liquids away from table and counter edges so they don't accidently fall and land on someone. Have a 3 foot "kid free" zone around the stove and anything that gets hot (like a fireplace, wood stove, etc.). Keep matches and lighters up high and out of reach of children.