Fire Prevention Week is October 4-10

It’s Time to Serve Up Fire Safety in the Kitchen!™

With Fire Prevention Week right around the corner, Shriners Hospitals for Children — Boston is promoting the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA)’s campaign on burn awareness. The NFPA has been the official sponsor of Fire Prevention Week™ for more than 95 years. This year’s campaign is Serve Up Fire Safety in the Kitchen!™

“Cooking continues to be a major contributor to the home fire problem,” said Lorraine Carli, NFPA vice president of outreach and advocacy. “The good news is that the vast majority of these fires are highly preventable. This year’s Fire Prevention Week campaign works to better educate the public about where potential cooking hazards exist and basic but critical ways to prevent them.”

With families cooking at home more than ever during the COVID-19 pandemic, it is critical to teach children how to be safe in the kitchen. Unattended cooking is the leading cause of home fires. Scald burns are the second leading cause of all burn injuries. Hot liquids from coffee and even microwaved soup can cause devastating injuries. Keep your family safe by following these important safety reminders:

• Keep a close eye on what you’re cooking; never leave the stove or oven unattended.
• Keep anything that can catch fire – oven mitts, wooden utensils, food packaging, towels or curtains – at least 3 feet away from your stovetop.
• Before allowing children to use the microwave, make sure they understand proper use and are tall enough to reach the oven and handle foods safely. Many scalds happen when kids reach up to remove items and hot liquids spill on to the child.
• Be careful when heating foods in the microwave oven and use the minimum cooking time. Serious burns can result from soup packaging that has melted and scalding liquid spills on to the child.
• Be aware of containers that may only feel warm, rather than hot, because they are sometimes handled with less caution. This can easily result in the splashing or spilling of a burning liquid.
• Always cook with pots on back burners and turn handles in. Never allow young kids to use the stove or oven. When they are old enough to follow safety protocols, they must be able to safely reach the stovetop.
• Do not cook or carry hot items while holding a child.
• Keep hot items away from edges of counters or tables.
• Use placemats instead of tablecloths. A tablecloth can be hazardous if a young child pulls it while hot food or drinks are on the table.

Learn more about Fire Prevention Week and this year’s theme, Serve Up Fire Safety in the Kitchen!

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