WELLINGTON COUNTY – This year’s Fire Prevention Week campaign runs Oct. 8 to 14, and the theme is “Cooking safety starts with you. Pay attention to fire prevention.”
Part of the campaign’s goal is to educate the public about simple, yet important actions to take to keep themselves and those around them safe while cooking.
In Canada, Fire Prevention Week is an annual observance designed to both inform and to express appreciation for the many public services rendered by members of the Canadian fire service.
Home-cooked meals are a welcome tradition for many during Thanksgiving, but it’s also the peak day of the year for house fires caused by avoidable cooking mishaps. Keep family gatherings festive and fire-free this year with these fire safety tips.
Kitchen common sense
Each year, there are roughly 24,000 house fires in Canada, which are responsible for some 3,000 injuries and nearly 400 deaths.
The kitchen is a hotspot for house fires, whether they start from unattended appliances or unintentional grease fires.
Chief fire prevention officer for the City of Guelph Fire department Tony Sabatini knows all too well how quickly fires can spread – and more importantly, how to prevent them.
“People often still think that water is the best way to put a fire out. As a fire service, we have responded to numerous calls where people have had second and third degree burns as a result,” he said.
“[When cooking with oil], the key thing to understand is that oil has a lower density than water.
“When added to a hot pan with oil, water heats up right away to its boiling point and expands very quickly, anywhere from 1,500 to 1,700 times. It’s this chemical reaction that causes hot water and oil to burst out of a pan.”
If you see wisps of smoke or smell burning oil, immediately turn off the burner and carefully remove the pan from the burner.
Smoke is a danger sign that oil is too hot.
If you have an isolated fire in a pan, slide a lid over the pan and let the pan cool for a long time. Do not remove the cover, as the fire could reignite.
Never move a pan with flaming contents.
Don’t set it and forget it
Limiting distractions when cooking and never leaving a hot oven or stovetop unattended is an important first step in fire prevention.
Whether using an oven, slow cooker, smoker or grill, check the food regularly.
Simmering food can still burn or catch fire. If you do need to leave the kitchen, have someone monitor the food for you.
Unattended cooking is by far the leading contributing factor in cooking fires and fire-related deaths.
“Most of the fires in Guelph, and actually in the entirety of the province that [fire departments respond to] are a result of cooking fires,” Sabatini said.
“The numbers vary, but what we do know is that close to 80 per cent of all fires happen in a residence.
“I don’t have an exact statistic, but certainly most of those residential fires are a result of cooking related incidents.”
Roll up your sleeves
While it’s common to wear festive outfits on the holidays, make sure to dress appropriately while cooking.
Avoid wearing loose clothing when cooking, especially near an open flame.
Although clothing is the first item ignited in less than one per cent of cooking fires, clothing ignitions cause roughly 8% of home cooking fire deaths.
Sabatini suggests, “If you have a gas or electric burner, loose fitting sleeves or a bathrobe are never a good idea.
“Whether they are cotton or a cotton blend with something that’s perhaps acrylic, they can catch fire very quickly. The key is either tighter fitting shirts, or short sleeves.”
Remove the risk
Keep anything that can catch fire, such as dish towels, wooden spoons, recipe cards, paper towel and anything combustible away from your stovetop.
Maintaining a three-foot clear zone between combustible materials and burners is good practice to avoid accidental ignition. Overcrowding an oven or stovetop with a lot of pots and pans can lead to spills and accidents.
If dust collects near electrical sockets and floor heaters, a single spark can lead to a fire.
Be sure to sweep or vacuum your floors regularly to prevent build-up and pay close attention to hard-to-reach areas, such as behind doors and around appliances.
Know your extinguisher
Often in the panic of a cooking fire, homeowners forget where to find their extinguisher.
Having a home fire extinguisher in a memorable, easy to access spot can save your home or even your life.
Somewhat surprisingly, many people don’t know how fire extinguishers are used properly, but the acronym PASS is a helpful reminder:
Pull the pin, Aim at the base of the fire, Squeeze the handle, and Sweep from side to side. Officer Sabatini is a firm believer in this.
“PASS is quite important…
“Pulling the pin is straightforward – most extinguishers have a pin on them.
“Aim at the base of the fire, not overtop of it like a sprinkler, because that won’t do it.
“Squeeze; there’s a lever you squeeze down, and the sweeping motion is no different than sweeping a broom briskly,” he said.
“What you’re doing is allowing the entire base of the fire to be covered with the chemical agent, which removes the oxygen and puts the fire out.”
If in doubt, just get out
If you do have a home fire or other cooking accident, Sabatini’s advice is straightforward – get outside.
“If you feel confident enough to use an extinguisher, make sure that you are positioned between where the fire occurs and an exit. If something goes awry, you need to have an escape route,” he said.
“Assuming it (the fire extinguisher) isn’t working, you are to quickly leave the home and call 911 once outside and we’ll take care of it.
“It’s important to never turn your back on a fire – back away from it so you can see it in case of flare ups.”
While there is a lot more to consider when it comes to fire safety, following these steps can help you prevent kitchen fires and keep your home safe this holiday season.
For more information visit nfpa.org or firesmartcanada.ca.
