In honor of October being Fire Prevention Month, Dale Way, Deputy Fire Chief of the Truckee Meadows Fire Protection District (TMFPD), provided information on how the public can practice fire safety.

Since this year’s Fire Prevention theme is kitchen safety, TMFPD will focus on tips for preventing fires while cooking. However, Way added that there are other actions the community can do every day to avoid fires. 

Anytime there is an open flame, the Deputy Fire Chief warned it could be dangerous. He emphasized that it’s crucial for people to be mindful of their actions, especially when dealing with everyday activities like lighting a candle, cooking or barbecuing. 

“If you light a candle, pay attention,” he said. “Unfortunately, we get pretty lax as humans, especially…in our home. We become very lax because of our comfort with our surroundings.”

Way also advised against the use of fireworks, or any other kind of exploding target. He explained all fireworks are illegal and can be dangerous to the people lighting them and their surroundings.

“There’s a reason that [fireworks] are illegal,” he said. “Once you light it, it leaves your control. And you don’t know what the consequences are gonna be from that.”

In addition to avoiding behaviors that could start fires, Way stressed that “preparation is prevention.” This could include safety measures like having an extinguisher near your grill and outdoor fireplace.

Read the entire article at This Is Reno.

This portion of the article is shared as part of our collaboration with This Is Reno. This story was originally published on October 9. It was written by Bianca Wright, an alum of Noticiero Móvil.