Official Newspaper of Eddy County since 1883
Official Newspaper of Eddy County since 1883
Cooking Safety Starts with you
New Rockford Fire volunteers, pictured from left to right – front row: R. Joseph Lies, Matt Pfeiffer, Carson Hurn, Brian Hopfauf, Neil Backman; back row: Jeff Pfau, Brett Ehni, Kyle Quinton, Rick Swenson, Mark Seiler, Ethan Shroyer, Gunner Wetzel, Zachary Smith and Lonnie Thompson
Sheyenne Fire volunteers pictured from left to right: Bryan Rieger, David Karlsbraaten, David Chenze, Sr., David Chenze, Jr., Devin Millang, Jeff Labrensz, Richard Hoffner, Mark Seastrand, Ken Ames, David Rieger, Elvis Thumb, Jr., Kyle Alfstad.
This year local volunteers are teaming up with the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) to promote this year's FPW campaign, "Cooking safety starts with YOU. Pay attention to fire prevention." 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."
All residents are encouraged to embrace the 2023 Fire Prevention Week theme. Your local volunteer firefighters 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 (1 meter) around the stove or grill and anywhere else hot food or drink is prepared or carried.
4. Keep anything that can catch fire – oven mitts, wooden utensils, food packaging, towels or curtains – away from your stovetop.
5. Be on alert! If you are sleepy or have consumed alcohol, don't use the stove or stovetop.
See our full Fire Prevention Week spread in pdf here: https://www.newrockfordtranscript.com/home/cms_data/dfault/pdfs/misc/2023-10-09.pdf
