Every family member must know how to use a fire extinguisher.
Two out of every three fire deaths occur in homes with missing or non-functioning smoke alarms.
uuu In another Cherokee County home fire, the homeowner had an appliance-repair technician perform repair work on a gas stove. Later that evening the homeowner lit a burner to start cooking. To his shock flames shot out of the cabinets above. He immediately turned off the gas and used a fire extinguisher to put the fire out; however, the fire left burn marks on the cabinet door. When Cherokee Fire arrived, the firefighters confirmed that a gas leak had caused the fire. They removed the drawers and pulled the stove out to be sure the fire was suppressed. They used their equipment to look for hidden hot spots and turned off the gas valve under the stove. The homeowner was advised not to turn on any gas in the home until all gas lines and the stove had been repaired. If the buildup of gas had continued, there could have been an explosion.
For both Cherokee County homeowners, their quick thinking and knowledge of fire safety helped alleviate what could have been a devastating and deadly situation. Keeping a clean kitchen and staying alert while you cook can prevent most kitchen accidents, but as more of us are cooking at home during the pandemic, we need to be reminded of kitchen safety. Lorraine Carli, vice president of Outreach and Advocacy for the National Fire Protection Association, says, “Cooking continues to be a major contributor to the home-fire problem. The good news is that the majority of these fires are highly preventable.”
Every year the National Fire Protection Association and local fire departments sponsor a series of events around Fire Prevention Week. Their goal is to prevent home-fire tragedies through community outreach and education. Fire Prevention Week begins October 4 this year. Cherokee County residents can enjoy a series of entertaining and informative events sponsored by the office of the Cherokee County Fire Marshal. Check out the Touch-A-Truck Event at Veteran’s Memorial Park in Canton on October 3, 2020. For more information see PlayCherokee.org/199/Touch-a-Truck.
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