Mentor Fire Prevention Week

Press release from the City of Mentor:

October 03, 2020

The Mentor Fire Department invites citizens to observe Fire Prevention Week October 4-10, 2020. This year’s theme is “Serve Up Fire Safety in the Kitchen TM “. According to the National Fire Protection Association, cooking is the leading cause of home fires and home fire injuries, with nearly half of all home fires being caused by cooking.

Since 1922, Fire Prevention Week has been observed during the week in which October 9 falls to commemorate the Great Chicago Fire of 1871.

Mentor Fire Chief Robert Searles says the most common causes of fires they see reoccur in Mentor are caused by “unattended candles, unattended cooking on the stove and improper disposal of ashes,” so educating people on safe cooking is an important message for the Mentor community.

• Keep these cooking safety tips in mind while preparing meals in your home:
• Do not leave the stove unattended, especially when preparing food late at night.
• Keep cooking areas clear of clutter, and those materials which can ignite — such as oven mitts, dish towels, wooden utensils, and food packaging.
• Always keep a lid close by in case a grease fire starts when frying, so that you can slide the lid over the pan and smother the flame.
• Do not wear loose fitting clothing while cooking and do not cook if you are drowsy.
• Test your smoke alarms regularly so that if a fire starts, everyone knows to get out and stay out!

Learn more on the Mentor Fire page.

This press release was produced by the City of Mentor.The views expressed here are the author’s own.