Cooking Safety
When you think of cooking fires, perhaps you think of a
smoldering slice of toast or a casserole that cooks until it's
black and crispy. Think again. Cooking fires are dangerous and
can become very large, very quickly. Cooking is the leading
cause of home structure fires and home fire injuries. And
kitchens are the leading place for these fires to start. In the
2008-2009 fiscal year, cooking fires caused 63 structure fires
in Marion County.
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To keep your food from flaming and
your house from charring, follow these cooking safety
tips.
Cooking Safety Tips
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Never leave cooking
unattended; watch what you heat.
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Turn pan handles in and away
from children's reach.
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Keep all appliances in good
working order.
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Never overload electrical
outlets.
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Unplug appliances that aren't
in use.
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Keep your stove exhaust system
(fan) free from grease build-up.
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Don't wear loose fitting
clothing while cooking.
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Keep combustible kitchen items
(dish towels, pot holders, curtains, etc.) at
least three feet away from the stove and/or open
flames.
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Keep a lid handy to cover the
pot or pan if a small fire should start.
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Use appropriate cookware in
the microwave and remember the food may be
extremely hot.
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Keep an "ABC" approved fire
extinguisher in the kitchen and make sure it's
charged and working properly (see the "Fire
Extinguishers" page for additional information).
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Take a pot holder with you if
you must leave the kitchen, so you'll remember
to get back to the kitchen quickly.
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Use timers to remind yourself
to check on food that takes several hours to
cook.
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Remember fire extinguishers
are not an alternative to calling the fire
department.
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Use timers to remind yourself
to check on food that takes several hours to
cook.
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Remember fire extinguishers
are not an alternative to calling the fire
department.
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Never put water on a grease
fire; the water will spread the fire, not
extinguish it.
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Keep the oven door closed and
turn off the heat for oven fires.
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Cover the small fire with a
pan lid and turn off the heat, for stove fires.
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Call 9-1-1 after extinguishing
a fire to ensure it hasn't spread.
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