Nola Reporter

October 8th-14th, 2023 is “National Fire Prevention Week” and the City of New Orleans and the New Orleans Fire Department (NOFD) has been steadfast in making fire prevention and awareness a priority when it comes to the safety of our residents and visitors.  The City of New Orleans has been awarded a Class 1 Fire Protection rating from the Property Insurance Association of Louisiana (PIAL). Our Class 1 Fire Protection Rating resulted from the evaluation of previous years’ performances ranking the effectiveness and efficiency of three city agencies, the New Orleans Fire Department (NOFD), New Orleans Sewerage and Water Board and the Orleans Parish Communication District. This achievement for the City of New Orleans allows everyone the peace of mind of knowing they are receiving the best possible service when it comes to fire protection. This achievement also benefits residents and businesses in our community through lower fire insurance costs.

In partnership with the National Fire Protection Agency (NFPA) and the Louisiana State Fire Marshall (LSFM), the NOFD and the City of New Orleans are celebrating National Fire Prevention Week October 8th-14th.  This year’s theme, “Cooking Safety Starts with YOU. Pay Attention to fire prevention”, works to educate everyone about the importance of being alert and aware of your surroundings when cooking. Cooking fires are the leading cause of home fires and home fire injuries. Unattended cooking is the leading cause of cooking fires and deaths.

Cook with Caution

• Be on alert! If you are sleepy or have consumed alcohol don’t use the stove or stovetop.
• 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.
• 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.
• Keep anything that can catch fire — oven mitts, wooden utensils, food packaging, towels or curtains — away from your stovetop.
• Keep small kids and pets our of the kitchen when cooking.

For more information on Cooking Fire Safety,  please visit our Fire Safety Tips page. For more information and resources related to this year’s Fire Prevention Week campaign, please visit the www.fpw.org. 

As a Class 1 rated Fire Department, the NOFD promotes fire prevention and awareness year-round. As always, we would like to remind citizens that the safest and most effective way to protect your home and loved ones from a residential fire is by having working smoke alarms. The NOFD WILL PROVIDE AND INSTALL 10YR SMOKE ALARMS FREE OF CHARGE for any Orleans Parish resident in need. Please contact the NOFD at 504-658-4714 or make your request online at https://www.nola.gov/nofd/citizen-services/free-smoke-detector-installation/ if you or anyone you know is in need of this potentially lifesaving service.

Since 2012 the New Orleans Fire Department has been conducting its “Save Lives, Install Dat” Smoke Detector Installation Program.  With this program uniformed, on-duty NOFD personnel come to your home, assess your fire safety needs, and install 10yr Lithium Battery Smoke Detectors (FREE of CHARGE).

The NOFD is also proud to be able to offer this same potentially lifesaving service to deaf and hard of hearing members of our community.  The NOFD has incorporated “bed-shaker” and “strobe light” components (that work in conjunction with our 10yr audible alarms) designed specifically for the deaf and hard of hearing.  The NOFD Deaf Citizens Smoke Alarm System is also “FREE OF CHARGE”.  Our only stipulation is that on-duty uniformed NOFD personnel be allowed to perform the installation. We encourage anyone who may know a deaf or hard of hearing resident in need of this FREE SMOKE ALARM system to contact the NOFD.

Additionally, the NOFD conducts annual commercial occupancy fire inspections year-round, which is the industry standard for maximum safety and risk reduction.  These inspections enable the department to identify hazards and structural deficiencies that jeopardize the safety of our citizens, visitors, and firefighters.  Furthermore, all commercial properties should be inspected annually to help maintain our Class 1 Fire Protection Class rating from the Property Insurance Association of Louisiana (PIAL).  This classification translates into better insurance rates for the community. 

There is a direct cost to our community that is associated with fires and reflected in structural and personal property loss; but there is also a significant effect of indirect costs that are reflected in firefighter injuries, reduced property values, tax base, community blight and increased property insurance rates.  The ultimate goal is to maximize the NOFD’s efforts to fulfill its mission “to reduce the loss of life and property.”  The NOFD inspection program helps to meet this goal and is instrumental in saving lives while serving as a prudent method of keeping businesses operating.  It is an effective tool that serves to assure the health, welfare, prosperity, and life safety of the entire city.

To find out more about our Community Outreach and Fire Safety Programs and activities or to request a Deaf Citizens Smoke Alarm System or 10yr Smoke Alarm through our “Save Lives, Install Dat” Smoke Detector Program” please contact the New Orleans Fire Department at 504-658-4714 or visit our website at www.nola.gov/nofd.  To learn more about cooking safety and this year’s Fire Prevention Week campaign, “Serve Up FIRE SAFETY In The Kitchen”, visit NFPA’s Web site at www.fpw.org as well as the Louisiana State Fire Marshal’s page at http://lasfm.org/.

Original source can be found here.