Tips to prevent kitchen fires

As you transition into cooking inside more than out as temperatures start to drop, consider that cooking fires are the number one cause of structure fires. That’s why the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) has chosen “Prevent Kitchen Fires” as the theme for Fire Prevention Week, Oct. 6-12.

Learning to cook safely can prevent injury to you or others and can also prevent damage to your home. Homewood Fire Chief John Bresnan has provided the following safe cooking tips.

• Never use a charcoal, gas or wood burning grill or a turkey fryer inside your home or garage.
• Turn on the hood exhaust fan when using your stove or oven in order to prevent carbon monoxide build-up.
• Make sure that your smoke detectors and carbon monoxide detectors are tested, and change their batteries regularly.
• Stay by the stove when a burner is on. A stove fire can erupt quickly, so it is important that you are near it to put out the flames.
• If you are sleepy or have consumed alcohol, don’t use the stove.
• Don’t wear loose fitting clothing while cooking. Loose clothing could easily brush against a flame and catch fire.
• Turn pot handles away from the front of the stove and away from traffic. This tip will prevent your elbow from knocking against the handle and spilling food, or even worse, hot oil or fat onto you or the burner.
• Clean the grease off your stove regularly.
• Heat oil gradually. 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 the burner on.
• If grease or oil in the pan ignites, smother the fire with a fire extinguisher, a lid or baking soda, and turn off the stove. Never use water, which causes grease fires to spread.
• Maintain a dry chemical (ABC) fire extinguisher in an easily accessible location in your kitchen.

-Submitted by Homewood Fire Department