PGW PROMOTES KITCHEN SAFETY DURING NATIONAL FIRE PREVENTION WEEK
Posted on:Oct 05, 2020PGW also recognizes and thanks the courageous service of the Philadelphia Fire Department
PHILADELPHIA (Oct. 5, 2020) – Philadelphia Gas Works (PGW) will raise the importance of practicing kitchen safety during National Fire Prevention Week, which runs from Oct. 4 to 10. PGW will join the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) in highlighting the campaign’s theme – “Serve Up Fire Safety in the Kitchen!” – and offer simple steps to keep customers safe as families spend more time at home amid the health crisis.
According to data on the NFPA’s website, cooking is the leading cause of home fires and home fire injuries in the U.S. Each year, more than 165,000 home fires are related to cooking and food preparation. Approximately half of home fires start in the kitchen and 66% of home cooking fires start with the ignition of food or other cooking materials.
“PGW is proud to deliver safe, reliable service for heating and cooking to customers who prefer using natural gas, especially to prepare meals,” said Edward Fennell, Safety Manager at PGW. “Because so many families are working or learning virtually from home during the COVID-19 pandemic, there are more chances to be distracted when cooking and leave an oven or a stove unattended. We want to remind PGW customers to remain vigilant, keep their kitchens safe, and know what to do in case of an emergency.”
PGW recommends the following tips for cooking safely:
- Keep anything that can catch fire – oven mitts, wooden utensils, towels, aprons, and food packages – away from the stovetop.
- Stay in the kitchen while frying, boiling, grilling, or broiling food.
- Turn pot handles toward the back of the stove.
- Establish a “child-free zone” of at least three feet around the stove.
- In the event of an oven grease fire, immediately turn off the heat and keep the door closed.
- Make sure smoke detectors are working.
- Before a fire grows out of control, leave home immediately and call 911 to alert the Philadelphia Fire Department.
Throughout the year, and particularly during Fire Prevention Week, PGW appreciates and thanks the dedicated men and women of the Philadelphia Fire Department (PFD) who selflessly and heroically protect the city’s homes, businesses and properties.
To learn more about fire safety, visit the Philadelphia Fire Department’s website.
For more information on Fire Prevention Week, visit nfpa.org.
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