Coulter urges Constituents to Ban The Pan
Rev Dr Robert Coulter, the Ulster Unionist Party Assembly member for North Antrim and UUP Stormont Commissioner, has called on the community to support one of the biggest ever social action campaigns known as Ban The Pan.
Dr Coulter, who is also UUP Health Spokesman, said that given the number of fire incidents and deaths over the years relating to chip pans, any Ban The Pan campaign was “particularly worthy”.
“Such campaigns are aimed at persuading people to give up using their chip pans for good. A glance at the statistics contained in the Northern Ireland Fire Brigade’s Community Fire Safety annual reports certainly make startling reading.
“They show that one of the main causes of accidental fires in the home is unattended chip pans. In the past, such causes have accounted for hundreds of incidents in which, tragically, people have lost their lives.
“Dozens more have been left injured in chip pan-related fires. There can be no doubting that in terms of fire deaths in the home, the chip pan has the potential to be the number one killer.”
Assemblyman Dr Coulter said the community should listen to one of the main message of Ban The Pan, which was that a safe, simple alternative was available – an electric deep fat fryer.
“Whilst the chip pan has been proven to be a real killer, it would be ludicrous to suggest that people give up eating chips. The electric deep fat fryers will still produce great chips, but because it has a thermostat, the fat does not get to the point where it goes on fire.
“I would call on the entire community in North Antrim to take note of any Ban The Pan campaign and try and attend demonstrations if they are in your locality. I would also urge all electrical retailers in the constituency who sell deep fat fryers to lend their weight to this very worthy community effort.
“And during the summer months when people are having barbeques, I would also encourage constituents to exercise care and common sense safety when using gas or charcoal barbeques. Anything which involves fire is a potential death hazzard,” said Assemblyman Dr Coulter.