Be Prepared for Kitchen Fires

12/26/2022 (Permalink)

Consider these 3 proactive fire safety tips that are beneficial to keep in mind while cooking in the kitchen.

Year-round – but especially during the holidays – the kitchen is a known gathering space. In 2019, according to the National Fire Protection Agency, Thanksgiving saw the peak of home cooking fires, followed by Christmas Day and Christmas Eve. This emphasizes an increase in home cooking fires during the holidays. This holiday season, there are two critical steps you can take as a homeowner to promote fire safety in your kitchen: developing an understanding of potential fire hazards in the kitchen and learning the ins and outs of fire safety practices. In today’s blog, we’ll share 3 proactive fire safety tips that are beneficial to keep in mind while cooking.

1. Create Space in Your Kitchen

Instituting a “kid-free zone” in your kitchen is one option promoted by the NFPA, aimed at maintaining a safe amount of space between children and potentially dangerous cooking areas. This idea, however, can be helpful for any guest in the kitchen – not just children. Keeping at least 3 feet between kitchen guests and cooking equipment like stovetops and ovens can make a significant difference in preventing fire-related kitchen emergencies.

2. Keep a Lid Nearby

The NFPA reports that the kitchen stove plays a key part in the majority of kitchen fires. If a small fire ignites while you are cooking on the stove, having a lid at arm’s reach can be a beneficial safety precaution. In the event that a small fire ignites, slide the lid over the pan and turn the burner off completely in order to smother the fire. It is important to keep in mind, however, that this tip cannot be applied to oven fires. If a fire ignites in your oven, be sure to instead keep the oven door closed and turn off the oven.

3. Be Prepared to Handle a Fire

Upon discovering a fire in your kitchen, a quick decision to either fight it or call for help must be made. Even though action must be taken swiftly, it is important that your decision is a thoughtful and smart one. If you are unsure of your ability to effectively extinguish the fire, do not hesitate to call 911, close the door to the kitchen to prevent the fire from spreading, and get everyone out of your home quickly and safely. If, on the other hand, the fire is small, you have a fire extinguisher nearby, and you feel confident in your ability to extinguish it, it is possible that you could handle it on your own. If there is ever any doubt in your mind, it is always best to call 911 out of an abundance of caution.

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