WHEELING, W.Va. (WTRF) — October is National Fire Prevention Month and this week the Wheeling Fire Department is hosting their Fire Prevention Week.
The Wheeling Fire Department has teamed up once again with the National Fire Protection Association which has sponsored their fire prevention week for more than 100 years.
The department had a table set up with information on fire safety on Monday at the Kroger in Wheeling.
This year’s Fire Prevention Week theme is “Cooking Safety Starts with You”.
According to the NFPA, cooking is the leading cause of home fires, with nearly half involving cooking equipment.
Unattended cooking is the leading cause of home cooking fires and related deaths.
The Fire Department suggests never leaving non-cooking related items on the stovetop even if it is turned off and keeping a lid handy in case a grease fire should occur.
One Wheeling Fire lieutenant says that it is the older generation’s job to teach their kids about fire safety.
”Having one month out of the year like this is a good reminder to parents to pass that information along even though it seems really simple and explanatory to them, they’ve grown up with it. Now it’s their children’s turn to grow up with it and their responsibility to teach those lifesaving skills to their kids.”
Lt. Michael Clawson – Wheeling Fire Department
The fire department also reminds everyone to change the batteries in their smoke alarms twice yearly, most notably on the fall-back and spring-forward clock changes.
The department will also have informational tables set up from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. at Elm Grove Riesbeck’s on Tuesday, October 10th, and the Warwood Kroger on Wednesday, October 11th.
