It's Fire Prevention Week! Ramara Fire and Rescue Services reminds residents, "Cooking safety starts with YOU. Pay attention to fire prevention."

Ramara, ON – October 10, 2023 – Ramara Fire and Rescue Services is teaming up with the National Fire Protection Association® (NFPA®) — the official sponsor of Fire Prevention Week^TM (FPW) for more than 100 years — to promote this year’s FPW campaign, “Cooking safety starts with YOU. Pay attention to fire prevention.^TM” 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.”

Ramara Fire and Rescue Services encourages all residents to embrace the 2023 Fire Prevention Week theme, “Cooking safety start with YOU,” said Tony Stong, Fire Chief. “A cooking fire can grow quickly. I have seen many homes damaged and people injured by fires that could easily have been prevented.”

Ramara Fire and Rescue Services wants to share these key safety tips to help reduce the risk of a cooking fire.

• Watch what your heat. Always keep a close eye on what you are cooking. Set a time to remind you that you are cooking.
• 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.
• Have a "Kid-and pet-free zone" of at least 3 feet (1meter) around the stove or grill and anywhere else hot foot or drink is prepared or carried.

Ramara Fire and Rescue Services is hosting an Open Fire House on Wednesday, October 11, from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. to support of this year’s Fire Prevention Week campaign. Residents can join in on the fun at any of the three Fire Stations:

1. Station One is located at 3290 County Road 47 in Brechin.
2. Station Two is located at 85 Patricia Drive in Atherley.
3. Station Three is located at 7305 Simcoe County Road 169 near Washago.

to learn more about Fire Prevention Week programs and activities in Ramara, please visit www.ramara.ca/firesafety. For more general information about Fire Prevention Week and fire prevention, visit nfpa.org and sparky.org.

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