Cooking safety starts with YOU. Pay attention to fire prevention^TM

October 8 to 14 is Fire Prevention Week. Did you know cooking is the number one cause of home fires in Alberta? 

Focus on the food 

Unattended cooking is the leading cause of fires in the kitchen. Here are some quick tips when cooking:

• Stay in the kitchen when you are frying, boiling, grilling, or broiling food. Turn off the burner if you leave the kitchen for any reason.
• Turn all pot handles inward and out of reach of children.
• Keep curtains and loose clothing away from the stove.
• Use a burner that fits the pot and keep covers handy to extinguish fire.
• If you are simmering, baking, or roasting food, check it regularly and stay in the home. Use a timer to remind you that you are cooking.

Learn more about cooking safety.

What to do if you have a cooking fire

• Always keep a lid nearby when you are cooking. If a small grease fire starts in a pan, smother the flames by sliding the lid over the pan. Turn off the burner. Do not move the pan. To keep the fire from restarting, leave the lid on until the pan has cooled.
• Never pour water on a cooking pan grease fire.
• Only trained adults should use a fire extinguisher on a grease fire. Only Class K fire extinguishers are rated for the purpose of putting out grease and animal fat fires.
• In case of an oven fire, turn off the heat and keep the door closed until it is cool. Only open the door once you are confident the fire is completely out, standing to the side as you open the oven door.
• When in doubt, just get out! When you leave, close the door behind you to help contain the fire. After you leave, call 9-1-1 or the fire department from a mobile phone or a trusted neighbour’s phone.

Smoke alarms

Working smoke alarms save lives. Smoke alarms sense smoke well before you can, alerting you to danger. Smoke alarms need to be in every bedroom, outside of the sleeping areas (like a hallway) and on each level (including the basement) of your home. 

Choose an alarm that is listed with a testing laboratory, meaning it has met certain standards for protection.

For the best protection, use combination smoke and carbon monoxide alarms that are interconnected throughout the home. These can be installed by a qualified electrician, so that when one sounds, they all sound. This ensures you can hear the alarm no matter where in your home the alarm originates.

Source: NFPA