Stand By Your Pan
Did you know cooking is the main cause of home fires and fire injuries? According to FEMA, most cooking fires start when someone is frying food.
At ServiceMaster Quality Restoration in Charlotte, NC, we restore your home or business from fire damage and smoke damage. With a few preventative measures, you can avoid the heartache of a fire. We’ve put together a list of the top safety tips to help you and your family stay safe while cooking.
Preventative Measures
- Check your smoke alarm – Check every 6 months (spring and fall), and more often doesn’t hurt.
- Check your carbon-monoxide alarm – CO poisoning can happen when fuel burning appliances are malfunctioning or improperly used.
- Invest in a fire extinguisher and know how to use it.
- Don’t leave the kitchen with the burner on.
- Fires will start when the heat is too high; if you see smoke or oil starting to boil, turn the burner off.
- Move flammable materials away from the burner. This includes curtains, boxes, dish towels, bags and your hair or clothing.
Act Fast If A Fire Starts
Pan Fires
- NEVER STOP A GREASE FIRE WITH WATER. Instead, always have a cookie sheet or lid nearby.
- Cover the top of the pan with a lid to take away oxygen and the fire will go out.
- Turn off the heat.
Oven Fires
- Turn the oven off.
- Keep the oven door closed.
When in doubt, get out! Safely evacuate yourself and your family and call 911.
