National Fire Prevention Week is taking place October 6 through 12, and Powell River firefighters have planned a variety of community activities. This year’s theme is kitchen safety.
Tricia Greenwood, public educator for Powell River Fire Rescue, said that a few kitchen safety tips can help to prevent home fires and burns.
For homes with small children, she recommends taping off a three-foot buffer zone around the stove.
“It’s too easy for small children to get burned in the kitchen,” said Greenwood.
She added that it’s important when cooking to stay alert because many home fires start when people are not paying attention.
“Always have a fire extinguisher in the kitchen,” she said, adding that keeping a pot lid near the stove while cooking is a good preventive measure to put out greasy fires if they flare up. “Keep oven mitts and utensils away from the burners.”
One area of kitchen safety that is not usually mentioned is around microwave ovens, especially now that they are being installed above stovetops. People can receive severe steam burns when taking dishes out of the microwave.
Powell River Fire Rescue hosted a kitchen fire safety workshop Tuesday, October 8, to promote prevention tips for anyone who works or owns a commercial kitchen. Firefighters at the No. 1 fire hall at 6965 Courtenay Street will be giving kindergarten students tours of the station during the week.
Firefighters at Malaspina Volunteer Fire Department will host an open house from 11 am to 3 pm Saturday, October 12, at its main hall at 9999 Highway 101.
There will be displays of rescue equipment and the department’s new rescue truck, as well as hot dogs, a draw to win a smoke detector, demonstrations of how to properly use a fire extinguisher and information about how to make an emergency go-bag. Volunteers will be available to help people register for ShakeOut BC, the upcoming provincial earthquake drill, and learn more about emergency procedures.
Families are encouraged to visit the hall with their cameras to take pictures of their children on the fire trucks.
