LAYTON, Utah – The Layton City Fire Department recently held their annual fire prevention awareness event, and this upcoming week is fire prevention week.
The Annual Kendall O. Bryant Fire Prevention Awareness Day brought the community together, and Doug Bitton of the Layton City Fire Department said the day celebrates one of their fallen firefighters.
“He got caught in a structure fire and he did pass away, so we've dedicated this to him, it happens every year,” he said.
Bryant lost his life while searching for victims in a house in March of 2000. Bryant dedicated much of his career to educating children about fire safety, and the event is a tribute to that legacy.
Bitton said they are focusing on kitchen fires this year.
"Every 77 seconds somewhere in the United States a fire occurs, and one of those problems is in the kitchen,” he said. “It’s a high percentage because we have so many heating devices. So we want to make sure we focus on that, safety there in our kitchens."
Firefighters offered the following tips for fire prevention
- Always turn off the stove top if you need to leave, even for a few minutes.
- Have a proper sized lid on hand for the pan to cover it if a fire starts.
- Keep the handle of the pan turned in to avoid accidental tips.
- Have a ready-to-go fire extinguisher in the kitchen mounted in a closet or pantry.
- Never try to put out grease or oil fires in a pan with water.
National Fire Prevention Week runs through Oct. 12.
