CITY OF RENO NEWS RELEASE
The Reno Fire Department is joining with other fire departments across the country in supporting and promoting National Fire Prevention Week and this year’s message of “Prevent Kitchen Fires.”
In support of National Fire Prevention Week, Reno Fire Chief Michael Hernandez would like to remind Reno residents that the Reno Fire Department has free residential smoke alarms, including ADA hearing impaired smoke alarms for qualified applicants. Members of the Reno Fire Department will install these detectors free of charge thanks to a fire prevention and safety grant from the Department of Homeland Security, Federal Emergency Management Agency.
According to national statistics, cooking is the leading cause of home fires. Two of every five home fires begin in the kitchen—more than any other place in the home. Cooking fires are also the leading cause of home fire-related injuries.
The Reno Fire Department wants to remind residents to be particularly diligent when cooking and offer the following kitchen fire and burn safety tips:
• Stay in the kitchen when you are cooking on the stovetop.
• If you must leave the kitchen while cooking, turn off the stove burners
• Have the lid to the cooking pan or pot within reaching distance
• If a fire starts in the cooking pan, turn off the heat and cover the pan with the lid to extinguish the fire.
• NEVER use water to extinguish a cooking fire, water will cause the fire to flare up and spread, also never risk getting burned or spreading the fire by picking up or carrying the burning pan to the sink or outside.
• To prevention children from being burned, create a 3 foot clear zone around the cooking appliance and always turn pan and pot handles inward.
• Have a portable fire extinguisher in the home and know how to use it.
• Have a working smoke alarm in the home and a home fire escape plan.
The Reno Fire Department is dedicated to reducing the occurrence of home fires and home fire injuries through prevention and protection education. For information on preventing home kitchen fire in addition to other fire safety information, including how to apply for a free smoke alarm, contact the Reno Fire Prevention Division at 775.334.2300.
