Fire Prevention Week Oct. 8-14
Tuesday, October 10, 2023
Did you know the leading cause of fires in the kitchen is unattended cooking and most house fires start in the kitchen?
Here are some amazing kitchen tips on what to do to help avoid a fire.
- To prevent cooking fires, you must be alert. You will not be alert if you are sleepy, have consumed alcohol, or have taken medicine or drugs that make you drowsy.
- Keep anything that can catch fire–oven mitts, wooden utensils, food packaging, towels, curtains–away from your stovetop.
- Keep pot handles turned into the stove.
- Never use your oven or microwave as storage space. This can cause a fire.
- Always keep a lid nearby when you are cooking. If a small grease fire starts in a pan, smother the flames by sliding the lid over the pan. Turn off the burner. Do not move the pan. To keep the fire from restarting, leave the lid on until the pan has cooled.
- Never pour water on a cooking pan grease fire.
- Only trained adults should use a fire extinguisher on a grease fire. Only Class K fire extinguishers are rated for the purpose of putting out grease and animal fat fires.
- In case of an oven fire, turn off the heat and keep the door closed until it is cool. Only open the door once you are confident the fire is completely out, standing to the side as you open the oven door.
- After a fire, the oven should be checked by a licensed professional and/or serviced before being used again.
- Propane, charcoal, and wood pellet barbecue grills must only be used outdoors. Indoor use can kill occupants by causing a fire or carbon monoxide poisoning.
- Always store propane gas tanks outside of buildings or garages. Vapors leaked indoors can be easily ignited by pilot lights or electrical equipment, causing 18 an explosion. If you store a gas grill inside during the winter, disconnect the tank or cylinder and leave it outside.
- Place a grill well away from siding and deck railings and out from under eaves and overhanging branches according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
And when in doubt, just get out! When you leave, close the door behind you to help contain the fire. After you leave, call 9-1-1 or the fire department from a mobile phone or a trusted neighbor’s phone.
More fire prevention tips can be found here! Fire-Prevention-Home.pdf (rockyview.ca) Fire Prevention Week (FPW) (nfpa.org)
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Fire & Emergency