NJFSAB & PenJerDel
New Jersey Fire Sprinkler Advisory Board
2020: Cooking up Fire Safety in the Kitchen
Practice Safe Cooking Today!
Did you know that most home fires occur in the kitchen? This year’s theme for fire safety week is kitchen safety. Even with home fire sprinklers, homeowners should take the following tips to ensure they are cooking safely.
- When cooking on a stovetop, make sure any handles aren’t facing outward. This ensures that no one bumps into them.
- Make sure your stove and oven are clean. Any excess buildup on an oven or stove can cause a fire if left uncleaned.
- Never throw water onto hot oil. This causes the oil to spread out and jump out of the pan, which can cause severe burns.
- In the event of an oil/grease fire, turn off the heat source, smother the fire with a lid, or put baking soda on it. Do not throw water, flour, or baking powder on the fire as this will cause it to spread.
- Always use a timer to ensure you don’t overcook.
- Dress for cooking. Loose fitting clothing or dangling jewelry can easily catch fire. Wearing a kitchen apron an rolling up your sleeves will help keep you safe.
Don’t Become a Fire Statistic
Fire doesn’t discriminate. It can strike at any time and take the innocent lives of children, adults, seniors and pets. Sadly, since January, 24 people have lost their lives in home fires in N.J., and last year 41 people died.
Whether you live in a condo, townhome, apartment, single or multi-family home, learning about fire safety and putting fire prevention tips into practice can save lives.
And, installing fire sprinklers in your home can reduce the risk of dying in a home fire by 80 percent and reduce property loss by 70 percent.
Keep your family and home fire-safe
There are a tremendous amount of resources designed for people of all ages from children to seniors to help improve fire safety. During Fire Prevention Month, please make safety a priority and take a few minutes to review the tips, information, and resources below and then incorporate them into your own fire prevention routine.
- Fire Prevention Week activities for children, teachers and parents National Fire Protection Association (NFPA)
- Senior Citizen Fire Safety Programs NFPA website.
- Participate in Home Fire Drill Day on October 13
- Side-by-Side Burn Trailer Demonstration video to learn about fire sprinklers and see how quickly sprinklers can control the spread of fire and put out flames
- Schedule a free fire safety talk and Burn Trailer Demonstration for your school, community group, or organization
- Check out the calendar of free Burn Demonstrations for an event near you
- NFPA Tip Sheets on a variety of fire safety issues from cooking and holiday decoration safety to smoke alarms
- Additional fire prevention resources can be found on these websites:
Call 1-866-226-6006 to find out more about fire sprinklers, ask questions, and get a list of qualified sprinkler contractors,
Fire Prevention Week History
Fire Prevention Week was established in 1925 as a National Observance during the week of October 9th in commemoration of the Great Chicago Fire.
The Fire which began on Oct. 8, 1871 destroyed 1/3 of the City of Chicago. Nearly 300 people lost their lives, 100,000 were left homeless, and more than 17,400 structures were destroyed across 2,000 acres of land.
Many believed the fire was started whenMrs. O’Leary’s cow knocked over a lantern, but that myth has never been proven. No matter what the cause, the massive destruction of this fire changed the way firefighters and public officials thought about fire.
1
Fire Sprinklers Save Lives and Property. Fire Sprinklers can reduce the risk of dying
in a fire by 80%
2
Property damage is reduced
by 70% when sprinklers
are present
3
Home fire sprinklers can control and may even extinguish a fire in less time than it would take the fire department to arrive
4
The average cost of installing sprinklers in a new home is only $1.35 per sprinklered square foot (People often pay more per foot for granite countertops)
5 Big Fire Facts
1
Most home fires occur
between 11 p.m. – 7 a.m.
2
Only 1/3 of Americans have both developed and practiced a home fire escape plan.
3
Cooking equipment is the leading cause of home fire injuries.
4
Working smoke alarms save lives, cutting
the risk of dying in home fires in half.
5
Fire may spread more quickly in newer homes that have larger open spaces, are built with lightweight construction materials, and contain furniture stuffed with combustible materials.
Host a Live Fire Sprinkler Burn Demonstration
Free for Schools and Community Groups
© 2021 New Jersey Fire Sprinkler Advisory Board. | 127 Route 206, Suite 11, Hamilton, NJ 08610 | Phone: 866-226-6006 | Fax: 609-585-3238