Fire Prevention Week: Stafford Officials Urge Cooking Safety

STAFFORD, NJ — This Fire Prevention Week, Stafford officials are urging residents to be careful as part of this year's campaign, “Cooking Safety Starts with YOU. Pay attention to fire prevention.”

The Stafford Township Fire Department is teaming up with State Farm and the National Fire Protection Association for this week, Oct. 8 through 14, to educate families about simple but important steps they can take to keep themselves and others safe.

“Cooking fires are the leading cause of U.S. home fires and home fire injuries. This year’s Fire Prevention Week campaign works to highlight when and where cooking fires happen most often, along with simple ways to minimize those risks,” said Heidi Michel, Fire Official, Deputy OEM Coordinator.

The Stafford Township Fire Department and local State Farm Agent Lisa Patchell encourage all residents to cook with caution. In support of those efforts, Patchell recently donated a Fire Prevention Week kit to the fire department, which includes home fire safety and prevention activities and information for children and adults.

“State Farm encourages homeowners to make fire prevention an important part of their overall home safety plan,” said Patchell. “Fire Prevention Week reminds us that cooking with caution should be at the top of the list. This also is a good time to check your smoke alarms to ensure they are functioning.”

The Stafford Township Fire Department shared the following cooking safety tips through this year’s Fire Prevention Week campaign:

• Turn pot handles toward the back of the stove to prevent spills and burns. .
• Always keep a lid nearby when cooking on the stove. If a small fire starts, slide the lid over the pan and turn off the burner.

• Stay in the kitchen while you are frying, boiling, grilling, or broiling food. If you leave the kitchen for even a short period of time, turn off the stove.
• If you are simmering, baking, or roasting food, check it regularly, remain in the home while food is cooking, and use a timer to remind you that you are cooking.
• Keep kids and pets 3 feet (1 m) from the stove/oven and where hot foods and liquids are being served.
• Watch what you heat. Set a timer to remind you that you are cooking.
• Keep anything that can catch fire — oven mitts, wooden utensils, food packaging, towels or curtains — away from your stovetop.
• Be alert. If you are tired or have consumed alcohol, don’t use the stove/oven.

For more information about Fire Prevention Week and this year’s theme, “Cooking safety starts with YOU. Pay Attention to Fire Prevention.”, visit www.fpw.org.