About Kitchen Fire Safety

Types

• The most common type of fire in the kitchen is when water boils away and the pan becomes empty or food is left on the burner and gets scorched. These usually do not cause a lot of damage. In most cases, you need to clean the area of smoke residue and odor. Oven fires are normally not too serious, either. Usually the fire remains in the oven and can be extinguished easily. Grease fires are more dangerous and oil is the most dangerous and flammable cooking ingredient, so never leave the room when you have something on the stove with hot oil. A fire can burst out in seconds, so remain close enough to put out the flames. Open flames can reach out to surrounding cupboards. If left alone, the flames can engulf the kitchen and spread to the rest of the home. Have a smoke alarm in the kitchen, as well as a fire extinguisher. Check them regularly to make sure they are in working order.

Prevention/Solution

• Do not wear clothes with long draping sleeves, which can brush against a burner and catch on fire. Always point the handles of the pots and pans toward the center of the stove. This reduces the chance of the cooking utensils being hit and falling on the floor or, worse, spilling hot oil on someone. If you are cooking something greasy, use a wire mesh covering over the top of the pan. Clean the stove frequently and do not let the grease build up. Heat oil up slowly and there will be less chance of it splattering on you. Never heat up the pan first and then pour in the oil. It can burst into flames immediately. Do not heat the oil so high that it begins to smoke. The next thing you know, it will be in flames. If oil does get this hot, take it off the stove right away and cool it down. If you love to make french fried potatoes or other deep-fried food, only use a deep fryer, not a regular pan. Be very careful when adding vegetables or fruits that have been washed in water into hot oil. Once again, it is better to add them when the heat is lower. Use the right pan size for the intended amount of food to be cooked. Too big of a pan can boil dry too quickly and food will bubble or slop out of too small of a pan. Place a rubber, non-slip mat on the floor by the stove, so you do not slip.

Considerations

• When there is a fire, immediately call 9-1-1. Then you can take action. Learn how to use a fire extinguisher, so you know what to do whenever the need arises. Usually, you can put out small fires in pots and pans or in the oven by smothering them. Put on the covers, and the lack of oxygen will put the flames out. Immediately close the oven door if a fire breaks out inside. In case of a grease fire, do not put water, baking soda or any other material on the oil. Although some say that baking soda can be used, you need a large quantity, and most people do not have this available. Never pick up the pan. Once again, cover the pot or pan with a tight lid. If nearby towels and curtains are not burning, immediately take them away from the area. If you do not extinguish the fire, go outside and wait for the fire department.

Warning

• If you see a fire at the very beginning and know you can handle it, remember that it will spread quickly. Even a contained fire can kill in a matter of seconds. It is essential that you use the right fire extinguisher, or you can make matters worse. Fire extinguishers have different ratings depending on what they can put out. "A" type fire extinguishers are good for fires from wood, cloth, paper and plastics. "B" extinguishers work best for flammable liquids, gases, solvents, paint, tar and synthetics. The "C" type is used primarily for electrical equipment fires, appliances, faulty wiring, motors and data processing panels. A higher rating number on an "A" or "B" fire extinguisher means it can put out more flames, but it will be heavier. You need to make sure you can carry it. Extinguishers are also rated with numbers. With an "A" type, A 1 stands for 1 1/4 gallons of water, a 2 represents 2 1/2 gallons and 3 means 3 3/4 gallons. For "B" and "C" units, the number stands for square feet. For instance, 2 would be two square feet and 5 is five square feet. They are also made for more than one type of fire. A good extinguisher to have in a residential kitchen is a 2A10BC. Recharge your extinguisher after each use and ask how often it needs to be serviced. Put the unit where you can reach it quickly and at an easily reached height, but not too close to the stove.

Function

• When people think about putting out a kitchen fire, the first thing they imagine is a fire extinguisher. That is one option. Fire blankets can also be used. These blankets, made out of fiberglass, heat-retardant-coated wool or other similar fibers, are made especially to extinguish grease fires. They are also used to cover and protect a person trying to get out of a burning house. When there are flames, just remove the blanket from its bag and put it over the fire until you are sure it is completely out. The kitchen blanket will cost somewhere between $35.00 and $50.00. In order to be approved for sale, the blanket needs to pass three tests: Thermal Protective Performance, to determine the amount of heat that is transferred through the fabric; Heat and Thermal Shrinkage, measuring the efficiency of the fabric to withstand severe heat; and Flame Resistance, testing how resilient the blanket is when coming in contact with direct flames. You want to make sure that the fire blanket has aced these three tests and is approved by the National Fire Protection Agency (NFPA).