Safety in the Kitchen

Cooking incidents are a major cause of home fires, so you must be aware of all the hazards that lurk around the stove.

• Never leave a stove unattended when you are cooking.
• Prevent grease from building up in the stove or the exhaust hood and keep combustibles away from the stove.
• Never move a burning pot. The best way to extinguish a fire in a pot or frying pan is to put a lid on it and turn off the heat. This will smother the fire. Always keep pot lids nearby.
• Don't store food above the stove. Reaching over the stove can be dangerous,. especially for young children.
• When cooking, always turn pot handles inward to prevent accidents. Little helpers could be badly burned. Keep children away from the stove when you are cooking.
• Don't wear loose fitting clothing while cooking and never reach over a hot stove. Your clothing could catch fire!
• Prevent serious scalds and burns by keeping electrical cords from kettles and other appliances out of children's reach.

Stop, Drop and Roll

Everyone must know what to do if their clothing catches fire. The best way to smother flames is to stop, drop and roll. Your reaction must be immediate. Never try to run because the flames will become more intense.

You must stop and immediately drop to the floor, and roll over and over to smother the flames. This may be difficult to do if you have some physical limitations, but is is crucial that you manage to lower yourself to the ground as quickly as possible. If you can't lower yourself to the ground, then a large towel or blanket can be used to smother the flames on your clothing.

If someone else's clothing is on fire, get them on the floor and smother the flames with a coat, blanket or rug.

1. Install Smoke Alarms

2. Have a Fire Escape Plan

4. How to Survive a Fire in Your Home 

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Last modified: January 01, 2008