During this year's fire safety campaign, firefighters from San Lorenzo Valley fire districts will spread the word about the dangers of kitchen fires — most of which result from unattended cooking — and teaching local residents how to prevent kitchen fires from starting in the first place.
“Often when we're called to a fire that started in the kitchen, the residents tell us that they only left the kitchen for a few minutes," said Zayante Fire Battalion Chief Dave Futch. “Sadly, that's all it takes for a dangerous fire to start. We hope that Fire Prevention Week will help us reach folks in the community before they've suffered a damaging lesson.”
According to the latest research from the National Fire Protection Association cooking is the leading cause of home fires. Two of every five home fires begin in the kitchen — more than any other place in the home. Cooking fires are also the leading cause of home fire-related injuries.
Along with visits to San Lorenzo Valley and Boulder Creek elementary schools, a community safety day will take place from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 12 in the McDonald’s parking lot at 259 Mount Hermon Road in Scotts Valley.
Here are some tips to avoid kitchen fires:
- Stay in the kitchen when you are frying, grilling, broiling, or boiling food.
- If you must leave the room, even for a short period of time, turn off the stove.
- When you are simmering, baking, or roasting food, check it regularly, stay in the home, and use a timer to remind you.
- If you have young children, use the stove’s back burners whenever possible. Keep children and pets at least three away from the stove.
- Wear clothing with tight-fitting sleeves when you cook.
- Keep potholders, oven mitts, wooden utensils, paper and plastic bags, towels, and anything else that can burn away from your stovetop.
Clean up food and grease from burners and stovetops.
To find out more about Fire Prevention Week programs and activities in San Lorenzo Valley contact the San Lorenzo Valley Fire districts in Boulder Creek, Ben Lomond, Felton, and Zayante. To learn more about preventing kitchen fires, www.firepreventionweek.org.