Kitchen Fire Safety Tips

The majority of the fires that your Township fire Companies respond to are the result of cooking. Here are some tips to keep your family safe.

Fire Safety Tips When Cooking

• Stay by the stove when the burner is on. A stove fire can erupt in seconds, so it is important that you are nearby to put out the flames. The most dangerous and flammable cooking ingredient is oil, so never leave hot oil unwatched. It can burst into flames within seconds.
• Wear tight-fitting clothing while cooking. Oversized or long, draping clothes can easily brush against a hot burner and catch fire.
• Aim pot handles towards the center and away from traffic. This fire safety tip will prevent one's elbow from knocking against the handle and spilling food, or even worse, hot oil or fat onto youself or the burner.
• Clean the grease off the stove regularly. One major fire safety no-no is allowing grease to build up, because large amounts of grease can ignite. Try to wipe the stove top after every cooking session.
• Heat oil up gradually. This fire safety measure will prevent hot oil from splattering onto your skin or in your eyes. Never pour oil into a hot pan, because it can burst into flames within seconds. It is safer to pour oil into the pan before you turn on the burner.
• Place a rubber or non-slip mat on the floor. If your floor frequently gets wet from spilt liquids or oil, a rubber mat will keep your shoes from slipping on the liquid.

In Case of Fire: Dial 911

Extinguishing Oven / Microwave Fires

• Leave the oven or microwave door shut and turn off the heat. If the flames don't go out right away, leave immediately and telephone the fire department from a neighbor's house. Be sure to have your microwave or oven checked by a maintenance person before you use it again.

Smoke Detector Fire Safety Tips

• Install a smoke detector. This affordable important gadget doubles your chance of surviving a fire.
• Never remove the batteries from your smoke detector. If you must remove them because a large amount of smoke during cooking caused the detector to go off, open the windows and turn on a fan to clear the air, and reinsert the batteries as soon as possible.

Last Thoughts on Fire Safety in the Kitchen

• Store flammable items far away from the stove. This includes: pot holders, dish rags, towels, curtains, and food packaging.
• Never use the oven or stove range to heat your home. This is not only a fire hazard, but if you have a gas oven / stove, you are letting gas into the air.