KITCHEN FIRE SAFETY - PREVENTING FIRES AND BURNS

Your full attention, please

• Don't leave the kitchen while food is cooking on the range.
• Continuously check items baking in the oven.
• Don't cook if you're sleepy, if you've been drinking alcohol excessively, or if you've taken medication that makes you drowsy.

Neat & clean

• Keep pot holders, food packaging, cookbooks, and other combustibles off your stove top.
• Wipe up spills and clean your oven.  Built-up grease can catch fire.
• Keep curtains, dish towels, and anything that burns away from your stove.
• Turn pot handles in so you can't bump them.

Dress for the occasion

• Loose clothing can catch fire: wear tight-fitting clothes or roll up your sleeves.

Nothing underfoot

• Declare a three-foot "kid-free zone" around your stove and keep children and pets away while you cook.

Prevent burns

• Open microwaved food slowly.  Let it cool before eating.
• Never use a wet oven mitt.  A hot pan could turn that dampness into scalding steam.

Electrical safety in the kitchen

• Use only one heat-producing appliance on the same circuit at a time.
• Have ground-fault circuit-interrupters (GFCIs) installed on all kitchen-counter outlets to prevent shock hazards.
• Also protect counter-top circuits with the proper size fuses or circuit breakers.
• Replace cracked or frayed appliance cords.
• If an appliance feels too hot, smokes, or gives off a funny order, unplug it immediately and have it serviced or replaced.

Fighting kitchen fires

• Grease fires - If a pan of food catches fire, don't use a fire extinguisher and don't throw water on the fire.  This can splatter burning grease and spread the fire!  Instead smother the fire by sliding a lid over the pan.  Turn off the burner.  Prevent flare-ups by holding the lid firmly in place until the pan has cooled.
• Oven fires - Turn off the heat and keep the oven door closed.
• Microwave fires - Keep the door closed and unplug the microwave.  Have the oven serviced before your use it again.