3 Safety Tips to Remember When Cooking

3/4/2022 (Permalink)

Gaining a deeper understanding of kitchen fire safety and techniques can decrease your risk of sustaining fire damage from a kitchen fire.

The National Fire Protection Agency reports, “the leading cause of fires in the kitchen is unattended cooking.” Further, they clarify that kitchen stoves are usually involved in cooking fires. It is impossible to completely rule out the possibility of an unwanted fire igniting when cooking, but gaining a deeper understanding of kitchen fire safety and techniques can decrease your risk of sustaining fire damage from a kitchen fire. In this blog, we’ll share and elaborate upon 3 of the fire safety tips recommended by the NFPA. 

1. Don’t Stray Too Far from the Kitchen

Depending on the nature of your cooking activity, there are actually different guidelines concerning your recommended proximity to the kitchen. In the event that you are actively boiling, grilling, broiling, or frying, the NFPA recommends that you stay in the kitchen for the duration of the activity in order to effectively monitor the cooking area. It is best to turn the stove off in the event that you must leave the kitchen. If your cooking activity, on the other hand, is baking, simmering, or roasting, it is O.K. to leave the kitchen if necessary, but it is strongly advised that you stay inside of your home in case of emergency until you’re finished. In this circumstance, be sure to either set a timer or check in on whatever you’re cooking frequently in order to prevent an unintentional kitchen fire from igniting.

2. Know What to Do When an Oven Fire Occurs

The protocol for stove fire is widely-known, but what about oven fires? Fires can, in fact, ignite inside of your oven. If you notice an unexpected fire in your oven, the NFPA advises that you immediately turn off the heat and refrain from opening the oven door until the fire completely extinguishes. This will prevent the fire from spreading.

3. Keep Your Cooking Area Clear of Flammable Objects

It may come as a surprise to know that, within cooking areas, you can usually find a host of flammable items. Towels, oven mitts, and wooden utensils are just three examples of such commonplace, flammable objects. If an unwanted fire ignites in your cooking area, having flammable objects stored in a close proximity can increase the risk of the fire growing and spreading to other areas, leaving you with not only a larger fire to extinguish, but also a greater chance of fire damage. Make sure that you keep flammable objects safely tucked away in drawers or cabinets. 

Experienced a Fire? Call SERVPRO

If your home or business has experienced an unwanted kitchen fire or a fire of any kind, be sure to call SERVPRO of Harrisburg West right away at (717) 510-6779. Trust our slogan, which states that we make fire damage “Like it never even happened.” You can also receive more information about our fire damage restoration services, which includes both our residential Fire Damage Restoration services and Commercial Fire Damage Restoration services, in addition to supplemental fire-related services, such as Odor Removal and Deodorization, by visiting our website. You can also find some of our personal favorite Fire Damage Tips on our website.