With Fire Prevention Week underway, local fire halls will be hosting open houses to promote fire safety, emphasizing this year's safety messaging: cooking safety.

In a social media post, the Airdrie Professional Firefighters Association invited residents to the Chinook Winds Fire Station on Saturday.

The theme of this year's Fire Prevention Week is underscored by the fact that the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) has stated that cooking fires are the leading cause of home fires and home fire injuries, with unattended cooking being the leading cause of cooking fires and deaths.

Statistics previously provided by the Airdrie Fire Department show that fires involving cooking are the second-leading cause of residential fires in the city.

Smoking, cooking, and arson are the leading causes of house fires in Airdrie. (Statistics provided by Office of the Fire Commissioner, Alberta Municipal Affairs/ Airdrie Fire Department)Smoking, cooking, and arson are the leading causes of house fires in Airdrie. (Statistics provided by Office of the Fire Commissioner, Alberta Municipal Affairs/ Airdrie Fire Department)

A June 2023 report released by Statistics Canada stated that cooking equipment smoker's material and open flame continue to be the leading causes of fire in residential fires.

"While cooking was the leading cause of fire incidents (32 per cent) and injuries (43 per cent), smoker's material accounted for 64 per cent of the residential fire-related deaths."

Statistics Canada also underlined that from 2015 to 2021, 37 per cent of residential fires had a working smoke alarm, while 12 per cent had smoke alarms that did not activate and 13 per cent had no smoke alarm installed. The lack of smoke alarm coupled with certain types of actions, can increase the risk of a residential fire. 

"Behaviours like fatigue, suspected impairment, and distraction or preoccupation were associated with 20 per cent of residential fires, 20 per cent of injuries and 14 per cent of deaths in homes in 2021."

Because many cooking-related fires and injuries are easily avoidable, local fire departments are emphasizing basic safety tips to remember and to put into practice, including, not using a stovetop if one is sleepy, or impaired by alcohol.

"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," The NFPA stated. "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."

Other tips include keeping anything that can catch fire — oven mitts, wooden utensils, food packaging, towels or curtains — away from one's stovetop. Small grease fires on a stovetop can be smothered by sliding a lid over the pan and turning off the burner.

"Leave the pan covered until it is completely cooled. For an oven fire, turn off the heat and keep the door closed," The NFPA advises.

Similar open house events to mark Fire Prevention Week are also happening in surrounding areas, including in Carstairs and Rocky View County. According to the Town of Carstairs, the Carstairs Fire Department is opening its firehall doors on Friday, October 13, from 6:30 p.m. - to 8:00 p.m., for their Fire Prevention open house.

"Come on down to tour our amazing facility, tour fire trucks, and maybe even see some firefighters compete in a couple of fun relay races," The Town's website stated.

Rocky View County Fire Services will also be hosting open houses in fire halls across the county, on Saturday, October, 14, from 1 p.m. until 4 p.m.

"You are invited to come down to your local Fire Station to meet and talk to your local fire teams. Bring your burning questions, bring the kids out to see the equipment and learn to trust the teams who might be there at your door someday to help you out," Rocky View County stated on its website.

There are eight Rocky View County Fire Stations that will be open to the public on October 14:

  • Madden 
  • Irricana 
  • Balzac 
  • Langdon 
  • Bearspaw 
  • Elbow Valley 
  • Springbank 
  • Redwood Meadows/Bragg Creek 

The County is also urging residents to bring a photo of their smoke detector’s expiry date to be entered to win a prize (non-expired smoke detectors only) for a chance to win.

Fire Prevention Week began on October 8, and runs till Saturday, October 14.

The tradition of observing a week dedicated to fire prevention began in 1922 and is meant to serve as a commemoration of the 'Great Chicago Fire', a fire that was cataclysmic in its proportion, killing over 250 people and leaving more than 100,000 more homeless. The fire is said to have destroyed more than 17,400 structures and burned more than 2,000 acres of land.

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