Kitchen Safety
Across the United States, fire departments respond to more than 400 residential cooking fires each day, according to the NFPA. Before you begin to fix a meal in the kitchen, always make sure to:
- Use a timer as a reminder to check on cooking food.
- Regularly check simmering, baking, roasting or boiling food.
- Remain at home and turn off the stove or other appliances when leaving is necessary.
- Keep children and pets at least three feet away from the stove.
- Turn pot and pan handles away from the edge to prevent spills.
- Never operate an oven or stovetop when drowsy or after consuming alcohol.
- Move flammable items, such as oven mitts, cooking utensils and food packaging, away from the stovetop.
- Regularly clean food and grease residue from the stovetop and oven.
- Make sure microwave ovens are plugged directly into wall outlets, not extension cords.
- Never use aluminum foil or metal inside a microwave oven.
Deep Frying Safety
According to the United States Department of Agriculture, deep frying oil can reach temperatures of over 400°F, is highly flammable and can cause severe bodily injury when it comes into contact with water. Avoid the extreme dangers and fire risks of deep frying by:
- Using deep fryers outdoors at a safe distance from buildings and any other flammable materials
- Never using deep fryers on wooden decks or inside garages
- Never leaving a deep fryer unattended
- Completely thawing meat before placing it inside a deep fryer
- Following the manufacturer’s instructions to determine the proper amount of deep fryer oil to use
- Making sure deep fryers are used on a flat surface to reduce accidental tipping
- Covering bare skin when adding or removing food in a deep fryer
- Immediately turning off the gas supply if the deep fryer oil begins to smoke
Outdoor Cooking
More than 10,500 home fires per year were started by a grill between 2014 and 2018, according to the NFPA. Before firing up the barbecue, always make sure to:
- Clean the grill by removing any grease or fat buildup.
- Never leave an outdoor charcoal or gas grill unattended.
- Place the grill away from the home, deck railings and out from under overhanging branches.
- Regularly check propane grills for gas leaks. If one is found, have a professional service the grill before using it again.
- Step away and immediately call the fire department if gas can be smelled during cooking.
- Avoid placing the grill on dry grass or leaves.
- Never add charcoal starter fluid to the flame of a grill.
- Finish your grilling session by letting the coals cool completely and disposing them in a metal container.
Extinguishing Cooking Fires
According to the NFPA, more than half of cooking fire-related injuries occur when residents attempt to extinguish the fire themselves. When it comes to extinguishing cooking fires, always remember to:
- Keep an all-purpose fire extinguisher in or near your kitchen.
- Make sure you have a working smoke alarm in or near the kitchen so you can be alerted to a fire as soon as possible.
- Never try using water to douse a grease fire. Smother small grease fires by sliding a lid over the pan and turning off the stovetop. Leave the lid on and do not try to carry the pan away.
- Extinguish an oven fire by turning off the heat and keeping the oven door closed.
- Evacuate the home and call 911 if the cooking fire becomes too large to address safely.
Learn more about using fire extinguishers on the Fire Extinguishers page.
