Avoiding Cooking Fires

12/26/2022 (Permalink)

Cooking fires are more prevalent during the holidays.

The kitchen is often a popular gathering spot during the holidays. The National Fire Protection Agency reports that, in 2019, Thanksgiving was the peak day for home cooking fires, followed by Christmas Day and Christmas Eve. This information tells us that cooking fires are more prevalent during the holidays. Understanding potential fire hazards and being aware of fire safety best practices can help keep your gatherings safe this holiday season. Keep reading for 3 proactive fire safety tips to keep in mind while cooking.

1. Create Space

The National Fire Protection Agency recommends having a “kid-free zone” around particularly dangerous areas of the kitchen. This tip is actually helpful for everyone in the kitchen – not just children. For areas like stovetops and ovens, consider creating a buffer of at least 3 feet between cooking equipment and guests in your kitchen.

2. Keep a Lid Nearby

Cooking fires, according to the NFPA, most frequently involve the kitchen stove. In the event of a small fire, especially when cooking with a pan over the stove, having a lid at arm’s reach can help facilitate the process of smothering a fire. If the fire is small enough to contain on your own, you can carefully slide a lid over the pan before turning off your burner. For oven fires, however, a lid is not as helpful. Instead, it is best to keep the oven door closed and turn off the heat.

3. Be Prepared to Handle a Fire

Upon first discovery of a fire while cooking, a quick decision must be made: fight it or call for help? While action of some sort should be taken quickly, it is important to make a thoughtful, smart decision. If there is any doubt in your mind that you won’t be able to sufficiently handle the fire on your own, call 911, get everyone out of your home quickly, and close the door behind you to prevent the fire from spreading. If you think you can handle the fire, however, assess the situation first and foremost. Is the fire small enough that you could smother it? Do you have a fire extinguisher nearby? If the answer to these questions is yes, you might be able to extinguish the fire on your own. Being prepared to handle a fire means understanding when it is time to prioritize your safety and that of everyone else in your home. At the end of the day, it is always better to be safe than sorry.

Call SERVPRO Team Wall for Residential Fire Damage Restoration

After any fire damage situation, know that you can turn to SERVPRO Team Wall. We are available 24/7 to provide our professional residential Fire Damage Restoration services. Learn more about the ways in which we can protect your fire damaged belongings, remove smoke odors, and provide building services in the aftermath of a fire by checking out our website. Give our SERVPRO of Hunt Valley and Harford County office a call at (410) 229-0012 today for more information. Trust SERVPRO Team Wall to make it “Like it never even happened” after any fire emergency.