Progressive Fire Fighters Association Washington DC
Stop Fire News & Photos
Anyone needing STOP Fire Campaign Materials for Fire Prevention Month or community events should email Teresa Everett, Campaign Consultant at [email protected]. Please provide your name, organization, address and number of people attending their event. Thank you.
New Summer Stop Fire Campaign Press Release
November Community Event - Atlanta, GA
October Community Event- Baton Rouge, LA
October Community Event- Houston, TX
STOP Fire Campaign Mother's Day at Harris Chapel, Fort Lauderdale, Florida
On December 22, 2008, the International Association of Black Professional Fire Fighters (IABPFF) launched its STOP Fire Campaign, which addresses residential cooking fire safety for African Americans with specific focus on the parents and caregivers of two groups: children four to 14-years-old and seniors ages 65 to 85. The campaign’s theme isFire-Safe Cooking: A Recipe for Saving Lives.The IABPFF was awarded a grant by the United States Fire Administration (USFA) to develop the STOP Fire Campaign, which will help reduce home fires, injuries, and deaths associated with cooking.
|
Why is the STOP Fire Campaign so important?
|
 |
1. Cooking is the leading cause of home fires
2. African Americans comprise a large percent of fire deaths, and
3. The very young, as well as older adults represent one-third of all fire deaths.
The holidays and family reunions are the perfect time to bring attention to cooking-related fires, injuries, and deaths in the African-American community. In the event of a fire, people are often unaware of how to put out or escape from a fire. Knowing how to prevent a cooking fire or what to do if a fire breaks out can mean the difference between a joyous or disastrous holiday.
The STOP Fire Campaign provides basic ingredients to keeping your entire family – mom, dad, the kids, grandparents and extended family -- safe when cooking. Tips from the STOP Fire Campaign, which provide the perfect recipe for saving lives include:
1. Most kitchen fires occur because food is left unattended on the stove or in the oven. If you must leave the kitchen while cooking, take a spoon or potholder with you to remind you to return to the kitchen.
2. Keep towels, pot holders and curtains away from flames, ovens and stove tops. Always wear short or tight-fitting 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.
3. Heat cooking oils gradually and use extra caution when deep-frying. If a fire breaks out in a pan, put a lid on the pan. Never throw water on a grease fire.
4. Keep young children at least 3 feet away from any place where hot food or drink is being prepared or carried, such as the oven, stove, or grill. Designate a “kid-free zone.”
5. Never hold a child while cooking, drinking, or carrying hot foods or liquids. While grilling keep, matches, lighters, and starter fluid in a locked drawer or cabinet out of the reach of children and away from the flames.
6. Turkey fryers should always be used outdoors a safe distance from homes, garages, and decks, and any other material that can burn. Even after use, never allow children or pets near the turkey fryer. The oil inside the fryer remains dangerously hot, hours after use.
7. Plug microwave ovens, toaster ovens, and other cooking appliances directly into an outlet. Never use an extension cord for a cooking appliance, as it can overload the circuit and cause a fire.
8. Never use aluminum foil or metal objects in a microwave oven. They can cause a fire and damage the oven.
9. Have working smoke alarms in your home. If a smoke alarm sounds during normal cooking, press the hush button if the smoke alarm has one. Open the door or window or fan the area with a towel to get the air moving. Do not disable the smoke alarm or take out the batteries.
10. Stay alert! 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.
11. Purchase a fire extinguisher and be trained on the proper use and maintenance of the extinguisher.
12. Prepare and practice an escape route with the entire family, including children and senior citizens.
13. If your clothes catch fire, stop, drop, and roll. Stop immediately, drop to the ground, and cover face with hands. Roll over and over or back and forth to put out the fire. Immediately cool the burn with cool water for 3 to 5 minutes and then seek emergency medical care.
14. When in doubt, get out! When you leave, close the door behind you to help contain the fire. Never go back inside a burning home. Call 9-1-1 or the local emergency number after you escape.
Fire-Safe Cooking: A Recipe for Saving Lives
