Washington Co., WI – The Allenton Fire Department, 431 Railroad Street, Allenton, WI, is teaming up with the National Fire Protection Association® (NFPA®) to promote this year’s FPW campaign, “Cooking safety starts with YOU. Pay attention to fire preventionTM.”
The campaign works to educate everyone about simple but important actions they can take when cooking to keep themselves and those around them safe.
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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 Allenton Fire Department encourages all residents to embrace the 2023 Fire Prevention Week theme, “Cooking safety starts with YOU,” said Ron Naab. “A cooking fire can grow quickly. Many homes have been damaged and people injured by fires that could easily have been prevented.”
The Allenton 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.
- 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.
Members of the Allenton Fire Department will be visiting Allenton Elementary School
on Monday, October 9, 2023. They will be giving tours of fire vehicles and viewing apparatus while discussing cooking safety.
The annual Pancake Breakfast and Open House on Sunday, October 15 at the Allenton Fire Station is hosted by the Allenton Fire Department and St. Lawrence Fire Company.
Pancakes will be served between 8 a.m. to 12 noon. Tickets are available at Zuern Building Products, Farmers Implement, Farmers Feed and Grain and Sai Mart Mobil Convenience Store.
Fire Prevention Week is observed each year during the week of October 9 in commemoration of the Great Chicago Fire, which began October 8, 1871, and caused devastating damage.
From the Peshtigo Fire Museum: Also on October 8, 1871, a firestorm roared through Peshtigo, WI, and surrounding areas. It not only killed between 1,500-2,000 people, but it also destroyed the entire community and its livelihood.
