As Fire Prevention Week approaches, Graham Fire & Rescue reminds residents: “Cooking safety starts with YOU. Pay attention to fire prevention.”

October 4th, 2023

Graham Fire & Rescue is teaming up with the National Fire Protection Association® (NFPA®) — the official sponsor of Fire Prevention WeekTM (FPW)  for more than 100 years — to promote this year’s FPW 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.”

Graham Fire & Rescue encourages all residents to embrace the 2023 Fire Prevention Week theme, “Cooking safety start with YOU,” said Brianna Baker, Community Outreach Officer. “A cooking fire can grow quickly. Many homes are damaged and people injured by fires that could easily have been prevented.”

Graham Fire & Rescue 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.

In recognition of Fire Prevention Week, Graham Fire & Rescue is partnering with its local Domino’s to spread awareness about cooking safety and is asking community members to show them how they stay safe in the kitchen.

Submit a short video showing the steps you take to stay safe while cooking. The first 25 submissions will receive a certificate for one FREE Domino’s pizza.

Submission rules:

  • Video should be less than 3 minutes in length
  • Video should be recorded horizontally (think Instagram reels or TikTok!)
  • Video must feature at least three cooking/kitchen safety best practices. Here are a few ideas:
    • Test smoke alarms to make sure they work
    • Use a timer while cooking
    • Create a kid & pet free zone around the stove
    • Turn pot handles toward the back of the stovetop
    • Make sure stovetops are clear of anything that can catch fire
    • Stay in the kitchen while cooking
    • Name your video file using the following format: Last Name_First Name_2023FPW
  • Submissions are due by end of day on October 20, 2023.

To find out more about the FPW video activity and how to enter, please visit www.grahamfire.org/fire-prevention-week. For more general information about Fire Prevention Week and cooking safety, visit www.fpw.org. For fire safety fun for kids, visit sparky.org.