WHITMAN — Chief Timothy Grenno is pleased to report that the Whitman Fire Department has released a video PSA highlighting safety and prevention tips for house fires as part of National Fire Prevention Week.
National Fire Prevention Week, organized by the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) begins this year on Sunday, Oct. 4 and ends on Saturday, Oct. 10. The annual campaign seeks to educate and provide the public with valuable safety recommendations and steps they can take to prevent possible fires and react properly in the event of a fire.
The theme of the 2020 National Fire Prevention Week is “Serve Up Fire Safety in the Kitchen!”
The Whitman Fire Department’s PSA video features children from the Whitman-Hanson Regional School District being instructed on fire safety inside a mobile SAFE (Student Awareness Fire Education) trailer. The children are taken to several different areas of the trailer, which are meant to serve as rooms in a house where fire incidents can occur such as the kitchen, living room and bedroom.
In addition to the video, the Whitman Fire Department wishes to share the following safety tips provided by the NFPA:
Cooking
- Stand by your pan when cooking. Do not leave food, grease or oils cooking on the stove unattended.
- If you are simmering, baking, roasting, or boiling food, check it regularly, and use a timer to remind yourself that you’re cooking.
- Remain in the home while using the stove or oven. If you have to leave, turn the appliance off.
- Keep pot handles turned inward to prevent accidental spills of hot contents.
- Keep flammable objects such as potholders, towels, paper, or plastic bags away from heating elements.
- Create a three-foot “child-free zone” around the stove. Keep children and pets away from the stove while cooking to prevent burns and scalds.
- Avoid wearing loose-hanging clothing that can catch fire. If your clothing catches fire, stop, drop, and roll to put out flames.
- Never discharge a portable fire extinguisher into a grease fire. Put a lid on a grease fire to smother it, then turn off the heat. Baking soda will also work.
- For fires inside an oven or microwave, keep the door closed, turn off the appliance, and call the fire department.
- In the event of a fire, leave the building immediately and call 911. All fires and burns, regardless of size, should be reported to the fire department.
Home Fire Escape Planning and Practice
- Create a home escape plan, and make a map. Share that plan with all members of your household. Designate a minimum of two ways to get out of each room, if possible.
- Teach children how they can escape, should they need to get out of the home on their own.
- Designate an outside meeting place a safe distance away from the home where everyone in your household should meet in the event of a fire.
“National Fire Prevention Week is a great time for residents and families to remind themselves of simple steps that they can take to prevent an emergency or disaster in their home,” Chief Grenno said. “To ensure safety for everyone, we strongly encourage all residents to follow these tips to develop a plan and meeting spot in case of a fire emergency.”
For more fire safety information and tips visit the NFPA website here.
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