In honor of the nationwide Fire Prevention Week, fire officials are urging New Yorkers to be #FDNYSmart by preventing fires before they happen, and protecting themselves if there is an emergency.
The theme of this year's campaign is "Cooking safety starts with you. Pay attention to fire prevention." It aims to teach everyone simple actions that could potentially save lives like staying alert when cooking, turning pot handles toward the back of the stove and never leaving cooking food unattended.
A few other tips that the FDNY recommends to avoid a fire in your home include testing your fire alarms, creating and practicing an escape plan and keeping matches away from children.
If you do have a fire in your home, and there's a doubt on fighting it, fire officials say to get out. They say you should close the door behind you to help contain the flames and call 911 from outside.