LAKEWOOD

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Lakewood Fire Department Shares Chanukah Fire Safety Video and Tips

The Lakewood Fire Department is proud to announce the release of a short fire safety video highlighting important tips for safe cooking during the Chanukah season.

Chanukah is a joyous time of celebration, parties, and cooking traditional foods such as latkes and donuts. However, cooking fires remain the leading cause of home fires in the United States. This video was created to help reduce the risks of kitchen fires and keep families safe during the holiday season.

Cooking Safety Tips:

  • Never leave frying latkes or donuts unattended.
  • Use a deep, stable pan and avoid overfilling with oil.
  • Keep children away from the cooking area.
  • Always have a lid nearby to smother grease fires. Never use water.

Menorah Safety Tips:

  • Place menorahs on a stable, non-flammable surface.
  • Keep candles away from curtains, decorations, or flammable items.
  • Never leave lit candles unattended and keep them out of reach of children.

Super Easy Latke Recipe from the Video:

Ingredients:

  • 4 medium potatoes
  • 1 small onion
  • 2 eggs
  • ¼ cup matzah meal or flour
  • 1–1½ tsp salt
  • Oil for frying

Instructions:

  1. Grate potatoes and onion (use a box grater or food processor).
  2. Squeeze out liquid using your hands or a clean towel for crispiness.
  3. In a bowl, mix potatoes, onion, eggs, flour/matzah meal, and salt.
  4. Heat a thin layer of oil in a pan over medium-high heat.
  5. Drop spoonfuls of the mixture into the pan and flatten slightly.
  6. Fry 3–4 minutes per side until golden and crispy.
  7. Place on paper towels to drain.

The Lakewood Fire Department hopes this video and the included tips help families celebrate a safe and happy Chanukah. For any fire emergencies, no matter the size, always call 911 immediately, as fires can spread extremely quickly.

MAKE SURE YOU HAVE WORKING SMOKE ALARMS AND CARBON MONOXIDE DECTECTORS IN YOUR HOME.

  • At a minimum, smoke alarms should be located outside each separate sleeping area and on every floor of one’s home. Place a carbon monoxide detector outside each sleeping area in the home.
  • IF YOUR DETECTOR GOES OFF, FIND OUT WHY! DON’T ASSUME ANYTHING!
  • Carbon monoxide detectors are NOT substitutes for smoke alarms; they are NOT interchangeable.
  • Never disconnect your smoke alarms and/or CO alarms – no matter how “annoying” they are!
  • Do NOT rely on your sense of smell to alert you, by then it may be too late.

Evacuating in an Emergency – when evacuating your home due to a sounding smoke alarm, carbon monoxide detector or for another emergency, alert all the occupants if possible. This is especially important in multi-family dwellings, apartment buildings, etc. where other residents may not be aware of an emergency in another apartment. You should not deviate from your path of egress or delay the escape of you and your family in any way; however, as you exit try to alert other occupants/residents of the building.

Stop, Drop and Roll – Review, the principles of “STOP, DROP and ROLL” which are simple: STOP – do not run if your clothes catch on fire. DROP – to the ground and cover your face. ROLL – continue to roll to smother the fire.

Additional Fire Safety Information for parents, children and educators can be found by clicking on here.

The Lakewood Fire Department wishes all a Safe and Happy Chanukah.