Cooking Equipment Fire Safty

Cooking Equipment Fire Safety Recommendations

Cooking equipment, both gas and electric are additional sources of fire in your home and are associated with many deaths and injuries from fire each year.

Cooking equipment accounted for the largest percentage of fires, averaging about 30.7% of total fires. The corresponding death estimates varied from a high of 12.9% in 1999 to a low of 6.2% of total deaths in 2002. The resulting injury estimates remained steady, averaging about 27.4% of the total injuries. Most of these losses were associated with range and oven fires.

• Never place or store pot holders, plastic utensils, towels and other non-cooking equipment on or near the range because these items can be ignited.
• Roll up or fasten long loose sleeves with pins or elastic bands while cooking.
• Do not reach across a range while cooking. Long loose sleeves are more likely to catch on fire than are short sleeves. Long loose sleeves are also more apt to catch on pot handles, overturning pots and pans and cause scalds.
• Do not place candy or cookies over top of ranges. This will reduce the attraction kids may have for climbing on cooking equipment, thus reducing the possibility of their clothing catching fire.
• Insure the stoves anti-tip bracket is properly installed. If your stove does not have one check with your local hardware or appliance store about getting one installed or installing it yourself.
• Keep constant vigilance on any cooking that is required above the "keep warm" setting.

YES    NOCooking Equipment Fire Safety Checklist

|_____|   |_____|The storage area above the stove is free of flammable and combustible items.

|_____|   |_____|Short or tight fitting sleeves, and tight fitting shirts, robes, gowns, etc., are worn while cooking.

|_____|   |_____|Items that could attract children (e.g. cookies and candy) are not kept above the range and are kept out of the immediate area.

|_____|   |_____|The stove is not left unattended when cooking especially when the burner is turned to a high setting.