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It'sbeenafewyears since that day I turned a stove burner on High and didn't real- ize greasy chicken stock had boiled over earlier in the day, fill- ing the catch pan under the cooktop. I turned my back for a few seconds to find a utensil. When I turned back around, small flames were shooting from the burner. My quick thinking told me to smother a grease fire, so I grabbed a pot lid to do that, but it wasn't airtight and soon the flames were double the size and spreading. My heart was pound- ing; the smoke alarm was screaming; and I was in full-on panic mode. Flames were reaching to- ward the adjacent wood cabinets. It happened so fast! I didn't have time to run to the pantry to search for baking soda. I had a rip-roaring fire on my hands, and I was in slow motion thinking about how sad it would be to be homeless for Christ- mas. That's when I locked eyes with the fire extin- guisher that had been sit- ting on the counter for so long that it blended into the decor. I'd never engaged a fire extinguisher. I read the in- structions once, but that's about it. Not knowing what to expect, I grabbed that thing, jerked out this red plastic ring (it came out easily), pointed the nozzle and pulled the trig- ger. It put out the fire with one mighty blast of fine yellow powder so strong and powerful it nearly knocked me off my feet. My experience not only woke me up but it also sent me into research mode. What I learned is sobering, if not shocking: Each year, fire kills more Americans than all other natural disasters com- bined. Eighty percent of all fire deaths occur in res- idences. Where do those residential fires start? In the kitchen! As grateful as I am, I did not do everything by the book. A fire extinguisher is no substitute for the fire de- partment. One-third of all people injured by fire are hurt while trying to con- trol it. Fire safety profes- sionals tell us to call 911 first. Then, use the extin- guisher. The fire depart- ment will be on the way in case the fire cannot be controlled. Next, only use an ex- tinguisher on small fires. Be sure that you can get out fast and that the fire is small and not spread- ing. Grab that thing, stand back 6 feet and use the PASS system: Pull the pin. Aim at the base of the flames. Squeeze the han- dle. Sweep from side to side. If the fire does not go out quickly, close the door to the room; get everyone out of the house; and exit the premises promptly. Meet the fire department in front and direct them to the location of the fire. Not surprisingly, fire ex- tinguishers are on my gift list for everyone in my family. I hope you'll do the same, starting with your- self. You don't need big in- dustrial-strength extin- guishers. Home models like the highly rated Kidde FA110 Multi Purpose Fire Extinguisher start at less than $20 and are available online or at stores like The Home Depot. Wouldyouliketosend a tip to Mary? You can email her at mary@ everydaycheapskate. com, or write to Everyday Cheapskate, 12340 Seal Beach Blvd., Ste. B-416, Seal Beach, CA 90740. EVERYDAYCHEAPSKATE Burndownthe house? I'll PASS REDDING China's Golden Dragon Acrobats return at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 16 to the Cascade Theatre with daring feats of ath- leticism, heart-stopping stunts, vivid costumes and the grace of their centu- ries-old art form. The Golden Dragon Acro- bats represent the best of a time honored tradition that began more than 25 cen- turies ago. They are recog- nizedthroughouttheUnited States and abroad as the premiere Chinese acrobatic touring company of today. The reputation of the company is solidly rooted in a commitment to the high- est of production values and an attention to artistic de- tails that is unparalleled in the art form. World renowned impre- sario Danny Chang and choreographer Angela Chang combine award- winning acrobatics, tradi- tional dance, spectacular costumes, ancient and con- temporary music and theat- rical techniques to present a show of breathtaking skill and spellbinding beauty. Enjoy an evening for the whole family featuring a list of magical acts that test the limits of physical strength and fight against gravity. Tickets are $29-$35 and available at the Cascade Theatre Box Office, 1733 Market St. in Redding, by phone at 243-8877 or at www.cascadetheatre.org. CASCADE THEATRE Chineseacrobatsto perform in Redding Mary Hunt PLEASE RECYCLE THIS NEWSPAPER. By Julie Zeeb jzeeb@redbluffdailynews.com @DN_Zeeb on Twitter RED BLUFF The Almond Blossom Ball celebrated its fifth year on Saturday with a small crowd filling almost every inch of the Ridgeway Park Recreation Hall. Aaron Peterson, who was DJ for the remainder of the evening, and Josh Paul, two of the members of Red Bluff-based band Flagship Armada, pro- vided live music for the opening part of the dance, an annual fundraiser for the Whittenberg Country School. Throughout the evening, the audience heard tunes from love songs to '80s music and even music for learning the Virginia Reel. "We pre-sold about half of our tickets, but we're hoping to max out the place at about 200 peo- ple," said Principal and teacher Zach Whitten. "We're trying to get to the point of all of our tick- ets being pre-sale so we know who is coming, but we're getting there." The event is one of three fundraisers held each year, with proceeds from the ball going to- ward the arts program at the school. "The bulk of the fund- raiser tonight comes from the silent auction," Whit- ten said. "The tickets cover the cost of the event itself so we know it's successful in the measure, but the crit- ical part is the silent auc- tion. The bulk of the funds from it go to special art teachers. Things like vi- sual arts and guitar les- sons." Funds from previous events have helped pay for the sound system used Sat- urday, which saves having to rent one. The two remaining fun- draisers include the Old Time Country Faire sched- uled for June 10, and the Pumpkinhead Bicycle Ride set for Oct. 14. The faire provides funds for books and scholarships while the ride brings in money for outdoor educa- tion, including play equip- ment. The school's enrollment period begins March 1, with informational meet- ings planned for parents of prospective students. For more information, call 526-7649 or visit http:// www.whittenbergcoun- tryschool.org/. Almond Blossom Ball marks fi h year PHOTOSBYJULIEZEEB—DAILYNEWS Attendees dance the Virginia Reel on Saturday at the Fi h Annual Almond Blossom Ball held by Whittenberg Country School at the Ridgeway Park Recreation Hall. FUNDRAISER FOR SCHOOLS With Valentine's Day here, PG&E reminds cus- tomers that sparks — and not just the romantic kind — can fly on Feb. 14 if im- properly secured helium- filled metallic balloons come in contact with power lines. Customers celebrat- ing with metallic balloons should ensure they're tied securely to a weight that's heavy enough to prevent them from floating away. Last year, metallic bal- loons striking electric lines caused 429 power outages in PG&E's service area alone, disrupting elec- tric service to more than 200,000 homes and busi- nesses. "Let your heart soar on Valentine's Day, but keep metallic balloons close to the ground. When they come in contact with power lines, these bal- loons can cause power outages and safety issues," said Pat Hogan, senior vice president of electric oper- ations. In addition to disrupt- ing electric service, me- tallic balloons contacting power lines can create a public safety risk. In 2015, a metallic balloon striking a power line sparked the Webb Fire which burned 75 acres southeast of Oro- ville. In 2013, a bouquet of me- tallic balloons came into contact with transmission power lines in eastern Te- hama County, starting the Deer Fire which burned more than 11,000 acres and lasted several days. In 2016, metallic bal- loons caused four power outages in the North Valley and two in Sutter County, resulting in power outages to more than 300 custom- ers. Use caution and avoid celebrating with metal- lic balloons near overhead electric lines. Make sure helium-filled metallic balloons are se- curely tied to a weight that is heavy enough to prevent them from floating away. Never remove the weight. Keep metallic balloons indoors, when possible. For everyone's safety, never permit metallic balloons to be released outside. Do not bundle metallic balloons together. Never attempt to re- trieve any type of bal- loon, kite or toy that be- comes caught in a power line. Leave it alone, and immediately call PG&E at 1-800-743-5000 to report the problem. Never go near a power line that has fallen to the ground or is dangling in the air. Always assume downed electric lines are energized and extremely dangerous. Stay far away, keep others away and immediately call 911 to alert the police and fire departments. WARNING Keep metallic balloons close to your heart Alexis LeClair gets a kiss on the cheek from her son Sam while dancing at the Fi h Annual Almond Blossom Ball. 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