City of Perrysburg

Alerts alert icon

National Fire Prevention Week October 8-14, 2023

October 6, 2023

The Perrysburg Fire Division is teaming up with the National Fire Protection Association® (NFPA®) — the official sponsor of Fire Prevention WeekTM (October 8-14, 2023)  for more than 100 years — to promote this year’s Fire Prevention Week 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.  

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.”

IMG_7930       IMG_9059   thumbnail_Image_1
The Perrysburg Fire Division will be taking its Fire Prevention Through Education trailer to elementary schools during Fire Safety Week to teach children about kitchen safety. The Division encourages all residents to embrace the 2023 Fire Prevention Week theme, “Cooking safety start with YOU.”

“A cooking fire can grow quickly. We have seen homes damaged and people injured by fires that could easily have been prevented,” said Fire Chief William McCullough.

Chief McCullough offers these key safety tips to help reduce the risk of a cooking fire.

  1. Watch what you heat. Always keep a close eye on what you are cooking. Set a timer to remind you that you are cooking.
  2. Turn pot handles toward the back of the stove. Always keep a lid nearby when cooking. If a small grease fire starts, slide the lid over the pan and turn off the burner.
  3. Have a “kid- and pet-free zone” of at least 3 feet around the stove or grill and anywhere else hot food or drink is prepared or carried.

The Perrysburg Fire Division’s risk reduction programs educate citizens on fire safety. For more information, click here. For more general information about Fire Prevention Week and cooking safety, visit www.fpw.org. For fire safety fun for kids, visit sparky.org.