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Smoke Detectors are provided at no cost. We will
install smoke detectors for residents inside the city limits of Madisonville
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Focus on Fire Safety: Holiday Cooking
Cooking fires continue to be the most common type of fires experienced by
U.S. households. This is even more apparent during the holidays. There
is an increased incidence of cooking fires on Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve Day,
and Christmas Day. Cooking fires are also the leading cause of civilian
fire injuries in residences. These fires are preventable by simply being more
attentive to the use of cooking materials and equipment.
Don’t become a cooking fire casualty. Learn the facts about cooking fire
safety today!
Safe Cooking Tips
The kitchen can be one of the most hazardous rooms in the home if you don’t
practice safe cooking behaviors. Here are some safety tips to help:
 | Stay in the kitchen when you are frying, grilling, or broiling food. If
you leave the kitchen for even a short period of time, turn off the stove. |
| If you are simmering, baking, roasting, or boiling food, check it
regularly, remain in the home while food is cooking, and use a timer to remind
you that you're cooking. |
| Stay alert! To prevent cooking fires, you have to be alert. You won't be
if you are sleepy, have been drinking alcohol, or have taken medicine that
makes you drowsy. |
| Keep anything that can catch fire - potholders, oven mitts, wooden
utensils, paper or plastic bags, food packaging, towels, or curtains - away
from your stovetop. |
| Keep the stovetop, burners, and oven clean. |
| Wear short, close-fitting or tightly rolled sleeves when cooking. Loose
clothing can dangle onto stove burners and catch fire if it comes into contact
with a gas flame or electric burner. |
| Plug microwave ovens and other cooking appliances directly into an outlet.
Never use an extension cord for a cooking appliance, as it can overload the
circuit and cause a fire. |
 When cooking, stay
in the kitchen and keep an eye on the stove.
If You Have a Cooking Fire
| When in doubt, just get out. When you leave, close the door behind you to
help contain the fire. Call 9-1-1 or the local emergency number after you
leave. |
| If you do try to fight the fire, be sure others are already getting out
and you have a clear path to the exit. |
| Always keep an oven mitt and a lid nearby when you are cooking. If a small
grease fire starts in a pan, smother the flames by carefully sliding the lid
over the pan (make sure you are wearing the oven mitt). Turn off the burner.
Do not move the pan. To keep the fire from restarting, leave the lid on until
the pan is completely cool. |
| In case of an oven fire, turn off the heat and keep the door closed to
prevent flames from burning you or your clothing. |
| If you have a fire in your microwave oven, turn it off immediately and
keep the door closed. Never open the door until the fire is completely out.
Unplug the appliance if you can safely reach the outlet. |
| After a fire, both ovens and microwaves should be checked and/or serviced
before being used again. |
Nuisance Smoke Alarms
If a smoke alarm sounds during normal cooking, you may need to move it
farther away from the kitchen (according to manufacturer’s instructions) and/or
install a smoke alarm with a pause button.
If your alarm already has a pause button, push the pause button, open the
door or window, and fan the area around the alarm with a towel to get the air
moving. Do not disable the smoke alarm or take the batteries out!
Treat every smoke alarm activation as a likely fire and react quickly and
safely to the alarm.
Turkey Fryer Safety Tips
| Use turkey fryers outdoors a safe distance from buildings and any other
combustible materials. |
| Never use turkey fryers in a garage or on a wooden deck. |
| Make sure fryers are used on a flat surface to reduce accidental tipping. |
| Never leave the fryer unattended. Most units do not have thermostat
controls. If you do not watch the fryer carefully, the oil will continue to
heat until it catches fire. |
| Never let children or pets near the fryer even if it is not in use. The
oil inside the cooking pot can remain dangerously hot hours after use. |
| To avoid oil spillover, do not overfill the fryer. |
| Use well-insulated potholders or oven mitts when touching pot or lid
handles. If possible, wear safety goggles to protect your eyes from oil
splatter. |
| Make sure the turkey is completely thawed and be careful with marinades.
Oil and water do not mix; water causes oil to spill over causing a fire or
even an explosion hazard. |
| The National Turkey Federation recommends thawing the turkey in the
refrigerator approximately 24 hours for every five pounds in weight. |
| Keep an all-purpose fire extinguisher nearby. Never use water to
extinguish a grease fire. If the fire is manageable, use your all-purpose fire
extinguisher. If the fire increases, immediately call the fire department for
help. |
Source:
Underwriters Laboratories
Young children are at high risk from non-fire cooking-related burns. Have a
“kid-free zone” of at least 3 feet around the stove.
Burns and Scalds
Most burns associated with cooking equipment, cookware, and tableware are not
caused by fire or flame. In 2009, ranges or ovens were involved in an estimated
17,300 thermal burn injuries seen in U.S. hospital emergency rooms.
(Source: NFPA) Microwaves are a
leading cause of scald burns. Be extra careful when opening a heated food
container. Heat food in containers that are marked ‘microwave safe.’ Since foods
heat unevenly in the microwave, make sure you stir and test the food before
eating.
Protecting Children from Scalds and Burns
Children under five face a higher risk of non-fire burns associated with
cooking than of being burned in a cooking fire.
(Source: NFPA) You can help
prevent these injuries by following a few basic tips:
| Keep children at least 3 feet away from where food and drink are being
prepared or carried. |
| Keep hot foods and liquids away from the table or counter edges. |
| Use the stove’s back burners if you have young children in the home. |
| Never hold a child while cooking, drinking, or carrying hot foods or
liquids. |
Also, teach children that hot things burn!
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