Preventing and Putting Out Fires in the Kitchen
Your friends at Universal Appliance and Kitchen Center (UAKC) want you to enjoy all your kitchen appliances – safely.
By far the most likely cause of a fire in the kitchen is from cooking. Flare ups, grease fires, accidental spills, clothing, and flammable material catching fire are all possible reasons for cooking fires. Here are some tips that will help you prevent cooking fires from occurring, followed by some tips that will help you put out a fire in your kitchen.
1. Check to make sure that you have an operating smoke detector in your kitchen. Change the battery annually as a matter of habit.
2. Stay in the kitchen while cooking. It may not be feasible to be in the kitchen for the entire time while your 21 pound turkey is cooking, but you shouldd to make it a practice not to leave the room while there is an open flame on your gas cooktop.
3. Whenever you step away from your cooktop, turn the pan handle away from the front of the cooktop. Brushing up against a handle can cause a pan to tip over resulting in a nasty burn.
4. Keep the cooktop surface and hood vent filters clean. Fires can easily occur where there is a buildup of grease.
5. Beware of loose fitting clothes near the flame. Also, dish towels, hot pads, and other cloth items are dangers near the cooktop. Keep lids on cooking oils, and don’t store them next to the cooking surface. Similarly, do not use flammable cleaning fluids near your rangetop while cooking.
Putting Out Fires
1. Call the Fire Department immediately. You’ll waste precious time if you try to put out the fire first and have to call for help later. Make the 911 phone call first.
2. Grease fires are among the most common of kitchen fires. Covering a grease fire is the easiest and quickest way to put it out. Reach for the nearest pan lid that will cover the flame. Don’t fuel the flame – turn off the burner. Have a fire extinguisher handy and use it.
3. Be careful that you don’t try to extinguish a flame by hastily dousing it with the nearest liquid. Instead, smother the fire with baking soda. It’s a good fire retardant.
Universal Appliance and Kitchen Center (UAKC) is pleased to provide these tips for preventing and putting out fires in your kitchen. For help in selecting new appliances for your kitchen call or visit the experts at UAKC today.
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