The Newsy Neighbour
October Issue 108
*check out page 57 in the October Issue for $5 OFF an Amarex Fire Extinguisher from SafeBlu!
Many homeowners plan on
having friends and family over during the holidays for dinner. If this is the
case for you, then odds are you'll be preparing a feast that's a little more
elaborate than what you typically make - especially if you are cooking for a
large group of guests. One of the things that you should keep in mind as you go
about this challenging task is fire safety. Almost half of all residential
fires are caused by cooking accidents, after all. The following are seven
kitchen fire safety tips that will help you reduce the risk of an accidental
kitchen fire during the upcoming holidays:
1. Make sure the smoke alarm and CO detector both work
You should have a smoke
alarm and a CO detector on the first floor near your kitchen. This way if a
fire does break out, everyone in the house will be warned and have enough time
to get out. Test both the alarm and the detector to make sure they work as they
should and replace their batteries if needed.
2. Have easy access to a fire extinguisher
Since your kitchen does use
heat extensively to cook food, you'll want to have easy access to a fire
extinguisher in case something accidentally lights on fire. Cooking accidents
can happen even if you think you're being careful - so be prepared.
3. Never leave the stove top on unattended
If you're cooking food on
the stove, then you should never leave it unattended. If you need to leave the
kitchen for a moment, have an adult come keep an eye on the food. During the
holidays, you may have kids running around as well - you'll want to make sure
they don't enter the kitchen if there's food on the stove top without the
supervision of an adult.
4. Don't wear loose clothing
Loose clothing can easily
catch fire - especially if you have multiple foods being cooked on your stove
top. Always make sure you're dressed appropriately for the kitchen.
5. Keep the kids away
Tell the kids to keep at
least three feet away from the stove. Even if you're present or another adult
is present, a child could seriously hurt themselves if they knocked over a
frying pan or a pot full of hot food. Kids are also inherently curious, and the
last thing you want is for them to accidentally start a fire because they were
playing with the knobs on your stove top.
6. Keep flammable objects away from the stove top
When using the stove, make
sure the counter space around it is clear. Accidental fires happen all the time
because paper towels, oven mitts or other flammable objects were laying too
close to the open flame of a stove top.
7. Make sure you clean your cooking surfaces
Grease fires often occur
because of a buildup of grease and food on the cooking surface. Clean your
cooking surfaces regularly to avoid this.
The kitchen can be an
overwhelming place to work during the holidays, so make sure that you keep
these seven kitchen fire safety tips in mind.
Benjamin Byron
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