Rockwall firefighters to host Open House on Oct. 12

(Rockwall) September 26, 2013 – Stand by your pan and Keep an eye on what you fry. That’s the message from the National Fire Prevention Association for Fire Prevention Week – Prevent Kitchen Fires – Oct. 6-12 and from the Rockwall Fire Department.

Rockwall firefighters will host their 10^th annual Open House from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 12 at Fire Station #2, 920 Rockwall Parkway. This free family event will include food, fun activities, fire safety tips and the opportunity to visit with firefighters and view equipment.

During October, department members will visit elementary schools to provide fire safety tips and deliver the message that cooking is the leading cause of home fires, which are the leading cause of home fire-related injuries.

“Two of every five home fires begin in the kitchen,” said Ariana Hargrove, the city’s Fire Marshal. “That’s more than any place in the home. Often, when we’re called to a kitchen fire, residents tell us they only left the kitchen for a few minutes. Sadly, that’s all it takes for a dangerous fire to start.”

Important kitchen fire safety tips:

• Stay in the kitchen when frying, grilling, broiling or boiling food.
• If you must leave the room – even for a short time, turn off the stove.
• Check food you are simmering, baking or roasting regularly, stay in the home and use a timer as a reminder.
• Enforce a “kid-free zone” of three feet around the stove to keep children away from cooking areas.
• Keep all items that can burn (potholders, wooden utensils, paper and plastic bags) away from stovetop.

If a fire starts in the microwave, turn it off and keep the door closed. Don’t open it until the fire is completely out. In case of a small grease fire in a pan, smother flames by sliding lid over the pan (wear an oven mitt), then turn off the burner. Don’t move the pan and never pour water on a grease fire. If it doesn’t go out, get out of the home and call the fire department.

“A cooking fire can quickly turn deadly,” said Hargrove. “Please heed these simple safety rules. We firefighters would like to be in your kitchen, but only when invited for dinner!”

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  cooking safety, Open House, rockwall fire department