For volunteer firefighters in Northwestern Lehigh, and indeed as far away as Maryland and beyond, National Fire Prevention Week, Oct. 8-14, was a poignant time - a time to remember their fallen brothers, New Tripoli Fire Company firefighters Zachary Paris and Marvin Gruber, who lost their lives Dec. 7, 2022, battling a house fire in Schuylkill County.

On Oct. 17, the two fallen heroes were honored posthumously by the Burn Prevention Network to recognize heroic bravery at the annual Valley Preferred Spirit of Courage award celebration at DeSales University for risking their lives to save someone from a fire.

Fire Prevention Week was established to commemorate the Great Chicago Fire, the conflagration that killed more than 250 people, left 100,000 homeless, destroyed more than 17,400 structures and burned more than 2,000 acres.

The fire, which began Oct. 8, 1871, continued well into the next day.

This year, the National Fire Protection Association® (NFPA®), sponsor of Fire Prevention Week for more than a century, is promoting the campaign “Cooking safety starts with YOU.”

According to the NFPA, cooking is the leading cause of home fires and home fire injuries in the United States. Unattended cooking is the leading cause of cooking fires and deaths.

“Year after year, cooking remains the leading cause of home fires by far, accounting for half (49 percent) of all U.S. home fires,” said Lorraine Carli, vice president of outreach and advocacy at NFPA. “These numbers tell us there is still much work to do when it comes to better educating the public about ways to stay safe when cooking.”

The NFPA recommends:

•Watching what you heat. Always keep a close eye on what you are cooking. Set a timer to remind you that you are cooking.

•Turning pot handles toward the back of the stove. Always keep a lid nearby when cooking. If a small grease fire starts, slide the lid over the pan and turn off the burner.

•Having a “kid- and pet-free zone” of at least 3 feet around the stove or grill and anywhere else hot food or drink is prepared or carried.

The NFPA is offering the following “Cook with Caution” tips:

•Be on alert! If you are sleepy or have consumed alcohol, don’t use the stove or stove top.

•Stay in the kitchen while you are frying, boiling, 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 or roasting food, check it regularly, remain in the home while food is cooking and use a timer to remind you that you are cooking.

•Keep anything that can catch fire - oven mitts, wooden utensils, food packaging, towels or curtains - away from your stove top.

If you have a small (grease) cooking fire and decide to fight the fire ...

•On the stove top, smother the flames by sliding a lid over the pan and turning off the burner. Leave the pan covered until it is completely cooled.

•In the oven, turn off the heat and keep the door closed.

If you have any doubt about fighting a small fire:

•Just get out! When you leave, close the door behind you to help contain the fire.

•Call 9-1-1 or the local emergency number from outside the home.

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Editor’s note: Founded in 1896, NFPA is a global, nonprofit organization devoted to eliminating death, injury, property and economic loss due to fire, electrical and related hazards. The association delivers information and knowledge through more than 300 consensus codes and standards, research, training, education, outreach and advocacy and by partnering with others who share an interest in furthering the NFPA mission.

Materials used from the website must include the following attribution line and link back to NFPA’s Fire Prevention Week site, firepreventionweek.org.

Deb Palmieri

editor

Parkland Press

Northwestern Press