Cooking equipment, most often a stovetop or oven, is the leading cause of reported home fires and home fire injuries in the United States and in Minnesota. As we head into the holidays, a time when family gatherings and festive food preparations increase, keep in mind the following tips from the National Fire Protection Association:
• Be on alert! Stay in the kitchen when 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 broiling food,
check it regularly, remain in the home while food is cooking,
and use a timer to remind you that you are cooking.
• Keep anything that can catch fire – oven mitts, wooden utensils,
food packaging, towels or curtains – away from your stovetop. • Have a “kid-free zone” of at least three feet around the stove.
Keep children away from any other areas hot food or drink
is prepared or carried.
• If you have a cooking fire, depending on the situation:
· Get out, close the door behind you to help contain the fire
and call 9-1-1.
· If you try to fight the fire, be sure others are getting out
and you have a clear way out.
· To smother small grease fires, slide a lid over the pan and
turn off the stovetop. Leave the pan covered until it is completely cooled.
• For an oven fire, turn off the heat and keep the door closed.
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