City of Revere to Host “Have a Heart & Give a Heart Day”
Mayor Patrick M. Keefe Jr., an organ donor, to honor organ and tissue donors at City Hall on Friday, February 9, 2024
In 2023, 1,401 lives were saved in New England by organ donation. With more than 6,300 individuals in New England currently waiting for a life-saving organ transplant, Mayor Patrick M. Keefe Jr. has declared February 14, “Have a Heart & Give a Heart Day,” in recognition of those touched by organ and tissue donors citywide. On February 9, New England Donor Services, in collaboration with the Mayor’s Office, will be joined by four local donors and their organ recipients, in celebration of this event.
Mayor Keefe, who, in the past, donated his left kidney to his mother, noted: “You have the opportunity to change the outcome of someone’s life with a selfless act. Choose to make that outcome a positive one.” The Mayor also added, “Give the gift of life by choosing to be a donor.”
This observance honors those who have already chosen to Donate Life, while encouraging others to get the organ donor “heart” on their Driver’s License/ID through the Registry of Motor Vehicles. The event is sponsored by Matt Boger of New England Donor Services.
For more information, contact: Matt Boger, (617) 780-6249 / [email protected]
To register to be a donor outside the RMV office, or for more information, visit: www.mass.gov/OrganDonor.
Valentine’s Day Fire Safety Tips
Keep fire safety in mind this Valentine’s Day to safely maintain the spark of a romantic evening. According to the National Fire Protection Association® (NFPA®), that means keeping a close eye on what’s cooking on the stove or in the oven and practicing caution when using candles.
“For anyone planning to celebrate Valentine’s Day at home this year, there’s a good chance those plans will include a special meal and glowing candles,” said Lorraine Carli, vice president of Outreach and Advocacy at NFPA. “Our goal is to make sure these romantic gestures are done with fire safety in mind.”
Cooking is by far the leading cause of U.S. home fires with nearly half (49 percent) of all home fires involving cooking equipment. Unattended cooking is the leading cause of cooking fires and half of all cooking fire deaths.
“Keeping a close eye on what’s cooking can be a challenge, particularly on special occasions like Valentine’s Day when you’re trying to get everything just right,” said Carli. “But when you consider that unattended cooking is the leading cause of cooking fires, it’s clear that carefully monitoring what’s on the stove and in the oven is critical to ensuring a fire-safe evening.”
Candles, which also represent a leading cause of home fires, need to be used with caution. NFPA data shows that half of all candle fires started when a flammable object – such as furniture, bedding, curtains, home decorations, or clothing – was too close to a lit candle. In 21 percent of home candle fires, the candle was either left unattended, discarded, or otherwise misused. Over one-third of candle fires (36 percent) started in the bedroom.
Carli recommends using flameless or battery-operated candles, which provide a similar look and feel to open-flame candles while eliminating the risk of associated fires. If you do plan to use real candles, following are tips from NFPA to do so safely:
• Avoid using candles in the bedroom and other areas where people may fall asleep.
• Place candles on sturdy, uncluttered surfaces where they will not be knocked over.
• Use caution when lighting candles. Keep hair and any loose clothing away from the flame.
• Do not allow candles to burn down too close to the base of the holder or container.
• Never leave a child alone in the presence of a burning candle.
• Keep matches and lighters out of children’s reach.
For more information about cooking safety, visit our cooking safety page; for more candle safety information, visit our candle safety page.
In addition, NFPA encourages the public to make sure they have working smoke alarms and to develop and practice a home escape plan.
