Fire Safety - Prevention Tips for the Kitchen

Pathy Anne Massidy(ph) :Hi, I am Pathy Anne Massidy with the Alexandria Fire Department in Alexandria, Virginia. We have been talking to you about fire safety. Now, we would like to talk about cooking safety. Did you know that three of every ten fires in the US start in the kitchen more than any other room in the house? Here are the few tips for preventing fires and burns.

First, never leave food unattended in the kitchen. Always stay in the kitchen while you are cooking. Make sure things like pot holders and paper towels are at least three feet away from the stove. You do not want anything to burn that is not something that you are cooking. Grease fires and oil fires are the most common types of kitchen fires, so make sure not to let any build up occur on your stove or on your range top. If there is a grease fire, never put it out with water. Make sure to have a lid for every size of pot or pan in your stove, and if there is a fire on your stove, put a lid on it to extinguish the fire and take away the oxygen. Never wear any loose fitting clothing around the stove while you are cooking. Always remember to turn in the handles of your pots or pan and if you have food in the oven, make sure to use the pot holder or oven mitt to remove it. If you have young children or elderly people in the kitchen, make sure they are supervised and always make sure to have a fully charged fire extinguisher in your kitchen and know how to use it.

We hope you have learned a lot from these fire safety tips. If you like more information on fire prevention and fire safety, please contact your local fire department.