Highland Park fire chief says free kitchen fire blankets available; residents asked to bring ID

Pat Payne, chief of the Highland Park Fire Department, told meeting attendees that the department has been distributing free kitchen fire blankets since October as part of a program run with the mayor's office. He said the blankets are being handed out along with smoke detectors and carbon monoxide alarms and that residents may "bring your ID in, we give you a fire blanket."

Payne said the blankets are specifically for kitchen fires and cautioned against other uses. "Also wanna let you know that the blanket is for a kitchen fire...You don't use it to wrap up and wait for the fire department to rescue you," he said. He described the deployment process — pulling the blanket from its bag, unfolding it, and tossing it onto a burning stovetop to smother the flames — and noted the department could not demonstrate an active stove fire at the meeting.

The chief told attendees the blankets are intended as a practical, low-mess option for small stovetop fires. Comparing tools, he said, "It's a lot easier and a lot cleaner to use than a, fire extinguisher." Payne emphasized correct use and safety limits: the blanket is for smothering a cooking fire, not for wrapping a person or delaying evacuation.

The department did not specify distribution locations beyond the program's existence or give details about quantities, funding, or eligibility beyond the stated ID requirement. No formal vote or action items were recorded during the remarks. The announcement closes with the department offering a simple step residents can take to reduce kitchen-fire risks: obtain the blanket and follow the described deployment steps in case of a stovetop fire.