JOINT BASE LANGLEY-EUSTIS, Va. –
The Joint Base Langley-Eustis fire departments hosted Fire Prevention Week Oct. 6 through 12 to raise awareness, give demonstrations and provide tips on how to prevent kitchen fires.
According to the National Fire Protection Association, more fires start in kitchens than any other place in the home. Unattended cooking was a factor in 34 percent of reported home fires and is the leading cause of home fires and fire injuries.
This year's theme, "Prevent Kitchen Fires," allowed firefighters to host several fire-safety events for the JBLE community, including fire-extinguisher training, a door-to-door campaign in the Fort Eustis housing area, literature hand-outs at the commissaries and Exchanges and fire department open houses.
One of the key tools in fire safety is an extinguisher, said Keith Boyd, Fort Eustis Fire Prevention inspector. Approximately 80 percent of residential fire extinguishers sold today are single-use extinguishers that cannot be recharged, so it's suggested more than one extinguisher be available and easy to reach, he said.
"Fire in its early stage is a lot easier to [extinguish], and can save more lives and property," said Boyd.
Langley's fire extinguisher training also included a kitchen fire demonstration trailer, where firefighters explained how to extinguish a stove fire using a live-fire scenario.
During their open house and visit to the Langley Child Development Center, the 633rd Civil Engineer Squadron firefighters, with the help of Sparky the fire dog, also covered the importance of having an evacuation plan and what actions to take if in a burning building or caught on fire.
The importance of Fire Prevention Week was not only expressed by the firefighters, but was also echoed by those in attendance. Mary Daly, a military spouse, participated in the Langley open house along with her son's home-school group.
"I'm happy the kids were given the opportunity to learn how to react in the event of a fire," said Daly. "I think it's really great they do this for the kids, especially for home-school groups that don't get the chance to go on class trips."
With proper training and knowledge, JBLE firefighters believe everyone has the ability to prevent home fires and save lives.
The JBLE fire departments offer the following preventative tips and information for kitchen fires and general fire safety:
Kitchen safety
Cooking equipment, most often a range or stovetop is the leading cause of reported home fires and home-fire injuries in the United States. It is important to adopt safe cooking behaviors in the home to prevent fires. Below are some tips to improve kitchen safety:
Choose the right equipment and use it properly.
- Use cooking equipment tested and approved by a recognized testing facility.
- Follow manufacturers' instructions and code requirements when installing and operating cooking equipment.
- Plug microwave ovens and other cooking appliances directly into a wall outlet. Never use an extension cord for a cooking appliance; it can overload the circuit and cause a fire.
Watch what you heat.
- Stay in the kitchen when you are frying, grilling or broiling food. If you leave the kitchen for even a short period of time, turn off the stove.
- If you are simmering, baking, roasting or boiling food, check it regularly, remain in the home while food is cooking and use a timer to remind you that you're cooking.
- 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.
- Keep things that can catch fire and heat sources apart.
- Keep anything that can catch fire, for example potholders, oven mitts, wooden utensils, paper or plastic bags, food packaging, towels or curtains away from your stovetop.
- Keep the stovetop, burners and oven clean.
- Keep pets off cooking surfaces and nearby countertops to prevent them from knocking things onto the burner.
- Wear short, close-fitting or tightly-rolled 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.
Smoke alarms
According to the National Fire Protection Association, having a working smoke alarm can alert inhabitants to a fire before it's too late, and the use of fire alarms lessen the possibility of death by half. The battery in the smoke alarm should be changed once a year and the alarm should be tested monthly.
Extinguishers
According to fire extinguisher manufacturing companies, the best way to extinguish a fire effectively is by standing six to eight feet away and completing the "PASS" procedure:
P - Pull the pin and hold the extinguisher with the nozzle pointing away from you.
A - Aim low at the base of the fire.
S - Squeeze the lever slowly and evenly to discharge the extinguishing agent.
S - Sweep the nozzle from side to side, moving carefully toward the fire. Keep the extinguisher aimed at the base of the fire.
Evacuation
Everyone in the house should know two ways out of every room, and the family needs to have a pre-arranged meeting place outside, according to the National Fire Safety Council. Once out of the house, stay out and call the fire department from a neighbor's home.
Efforts to put out a fire should stop when all occupants have exited and are in a safe location away from the blaze, fire officials have been notified and there is a clear exit behind the person using the fire extinguisher.
For more information on fire prevention, visit your local fire department, www.usfa.fema.gov or www.nfpa.org.