To prevent
cooking-related home fires, as well as injuries and deaths among children
and seniors. See our
informative education video below sharing some helpful tips for you and
your family.
Anyone needing STOP Fire
Campaign Materials for Fire Prevention Month or community events
should email Teresa Everett, Campaign Consultant at
execdir411@hotmail.com.
Please provide your name, organization, address and number of people
attending their event. Thank you.
On December 22, 2008,
the International Association of Black Professional Fire Fighters (IABPFF)
launched its STOPFire Campaign, which
addresses residential cooking fire safety for African Americans with
specific focus on the parents and caregivers of two groups: children
four to 14-years-old and seniors ages 65 to 85. The campaign’s theme is
Fire-Safe Cooking: A Recipe for Saving Lives.
The IABPFF was awarded a grant by the United States Fire Administration
(USFA) to develop the STOP Fire Campaign, which will help
reduce home fires, injuries, and deaths associated with cooking.
Why is the
STOP Fire Campaign
so important?
1.Cooking is
the leading cause of home fires
2.African
Americans comprise a large percent of fire deaths, and
3.The
very young, as well as older adults represent one-third of all fire
deaths.
The
holidays and family reunions are the perfect time to bring attention to
cooking-related fires, injuries, and deaths in the African-American
community. In the event of a fire, people are often unaware of how to
put out or escape from a fire. Knowing how to prevent a cooking fire or
what to do if a fire breaks out can mean the difference between a joyous
or disastrous holiday.
The
STOP Fire Campaign provides basic ingredients to keeping
your entire family – mom, dad, the kids, grandparents and extended
family -- safe when cooking.
Tips from the STOP Fire Campaign, which
provide the perfect recipe for saving lives include:
1.Most
kitchen fires occur because food is left unattended on the stove or in
the oven. If you must leave the kitchen while cooking, take a spoon or
potholder with you to remind you to return to the kitchen.
2.Keep
towels, pot holders and curtains away from flames, ovens and stove tops.
Always wear short or tight-fitting sleeves when cooking.
Loose clothing can dangle onto stove burners
and catch fire if it comes into contact with a gas flame or electric
burner.
3.Heat
cooking oils gradually and use extra caution when deep-frying. If a fire
breaks out in a pan, put a lid on the pan. Never throw
water on a grease fire.
4.Keep
young children at least 3 feet away from any place where hot food or
drink is being prepared or carried, such as the oven, stove, or grill.
Designate a “kid-free zone.”
5.Never
hold a child while cooking, drinking, or carrying hot foods or liquids.
While grilling keep, matches,
lighters, and starter fluid in a locked drawer or cabinet out of the
reach of children and away from the flames.
6.Turkey
fryers should always be used outdoors a safe distance from homes,
garages, and decks, and any other material that can burn. Even after
use, never allow children or pets near the turkey fryer. The oil inside
the fryer remains dangerously hot, hours after use.
7.Plug
microwave ovens, toaster ovens, and other cooking appliances directly
into an outlet. Never use an extension cord for a cooking appliance, as
it can overload the circuit and cause a fire.
8.Never
use aluminum foil or metal objects in a microwave oven. They can cause a
fire and damage the oven.
9.Have
working smoke alarms in your home. If a smoke alarm sounds
during normal cooking, press the hush button if the smoke alarm has one.
Open the door or window or fan the area with a towel to get the air
moving. Do not disable the smoke alarm or take out the batteries.
10.Stay
alert! To prevent cooking fires, you have to be alert. You won't be if
you are sleepy, have been drinking alcohol, or have taken medicine that
makes you drowsy.
11.
Purchase a fire extinguisher and be trained on the proper
use and maintenance of the extinguisher.
12.Prepare
and practice an escape route with the entire family, including children
and senior citizens.
13.If
your clothes catch fire, stop, drop, and roll. Stop immediately, drop to
the ground, and cover face with hands. Roll over and over or back and
forth to put out the fire. Immediately cool the burn with cool water for
3 to 5 minutes and then seek emergency medical care.
14.When
in doubt, get out! When you leave, close the door behind you to help
contain the fire. Never go back inside a burning home. Call
9-1-1 or the local emergency number after you escape.
