“Cooking safely starts with YOU! Pay attention to fire prevention,” is the theme for the 2023 National Fire Safety Week.

At their Sept. 28 meeting, Okeechobee County Commissioners declared the week of Oct. 8-14 as National Fire Prevention Week.

Fire Rescue Chief Earl Wooten said they spend Fire Prevention Week in the schools talking to the kids about how to be safe. Year round, they conduct fire safety inspections and provide fire safety information to the public.

According to the county staff report, National Fire Prevention Week is observed in the United States this year during the week of Oct. 8-14, 2023. It is sponsored by the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA).

To raise awareness of the horrors of preventable fires (and bring fire safety to the forefront of public consciousness), the first Presidential proclamation for Fire Prevention Week was established in 1925 by the 30th U.S. President, Calvin Coolidge.

This year’s Fire Prevention Week campaign, “Cooking safety starts with YOU! Pay attention to fire prevention." According to NFPA, cooking is the leading cause of home fires, with 49% of all home fires involving cooking equipment. Cooking is also the leading cause of home fire injuries. Unattended cooking is the leading cause of home cooking fires and related deaths. In addition, NFPA data shows that cooking is the only major cause of fire that resulted in more fires and fire deaths in 2014-2018 than in 1980-1984.

“Fire Prevention Week is observed this year in the United States during the week of October 8- 14, 2023 in commemoration of the Great Chicago Fire, which began on Oct. 8, 1871, and caused devastating damage. This horrific conflagration killed more than 250 people, left 100,000 homeless, destroyed more than 17,400 structures, and burned more than 2,000 acres of land,” the proclamation states.

“The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) announced the 2023 Fire Prevention theme for this week is ‘Cooking safety starts with YOU! Pay attention to fire prevention.’ This theme serves to remind the citizens of Okeechobee County it is important to educate everyone about the simple but important actions to take to keep themselves and those around them safe when cooking.

“According to National Fire Protection Association data, cooking is the leading cause of home fires, with nearly half (49 percent) of all home fires involving cooking equipment; cooking is also the leading cause of home fire injuries. Unattended cooking is the leading cause of home cooking fires and related deaths,” the proclamation continues.

NFPA offers these tips:

• Always keep a close eye on what you’re cooking. For foods with longer cooking times, such as those that are simmering or baking, set a timer to help monitor them carefully.
• Clear the cooking area of combustible items and keep anything that can burn, such as dish towels, oven mitts, food packaging, and paper towels away from the stove.
• Turn pot handles toward the back of the stove. Keep a lid nearby when cooking. If a small grease fire starts, slide the lid over the pan and turn off the burner.
• Create a “kid and pet free zone” of at least three feet (one meter) around the cooking area and anywhere else hot food or drink is prepared or carried.