cooking fire

Cooking fire are the lead cause of burnt wounds and injuries.

To protect yourself and family, learn how to prevent a cooking fire in your kitchen.

Here are important safe cooking tips.

1. Stay in the kitchen: Keep an eye on cooking. Do not leave cooking area unattended because the number one cause of cooking fire is not paying attention and unattending.
2. Check food regularly. If you are roasting, simmering, seasoning, baking, frying it is important to keep an eye on food. You can also use a timer to remind you to check on dish.
3. Oil: If oil is too hot or seasoning is not done properly, oil will attract fire. Do not overheat oil. Overheated oil will spill out and can cause ignition.
4. Keep stove top clear: Do not place dishtowel, paper towel, oven mitts on stove top. These materials can catch fire.
5. Clothing: Do not wear lose clothing while cooking. Wear short or close-fitting sleeves.
6. Clean cooking surfaces: Use a proper liquid and remove food and grease build up.
7. No gasoline: Do not store gasoline inside the kitchen and house. Likewise, do not keep store solvents, flammable materials, cleaners close to stove surface.
8. Vessels: Pan and pots that have handles should have proper handle covered with fire resistant material.
9. Gas cylinder: Learn how to open and lock gas cylinder. Learn safety measurements while handling gas cylinder. If gas is leaking, open all the windows. Let the gas empty kitchen and house. Do not light the gas.
10. Watch children: Do not leave children unattended in kitchen while cooking. When old enough, teach children fire safety.
11. Grill: If you are using grill, be sure to keep it clean and away from materials that could catch on fire. If you are using starter fluid be careful. Propane gas tanks should be checked for leaks on regular basis

How to extinguish fire?

1. Slide a pan lid over flames to smother grease or oil fire and turnoff the heat. Leave the lid in place until the pan cools.
2. Use baking soda to extinguish food fires. Do not use water or flour on cooking fires.
3. Keep the oven door shut and turn off the heat to smother an oven or broiler fire
4. Keep a fire extinguisher in the kitchen and learn how to use it.
5. Smoke detector: Have a working smoke detector at home. Change the batteries twice a year.

Always have fire department number handy and if you feel fire cannot be contained call emergency number and get out of the house. While leaving, close the door behind you to help contain the fire.

From: Grandma’s safety tips collection

Read more here:

• http://www.kyforward.com/
• https://www.nfpa.org/cooking
• Image credit: Photo by Tom Swinnen from Pexels