- Avoid distractions while cooking on a stove. Remain in the kitchen and use a timer when necessary to help you monitor what you are cooking carefully.
- Stay at home while food is cooking, and turn off cooking appliances when you need to leave, even if for only a few minutes. Fires can develop quickly while cooking is left unattended.
- Keep children and pets at least three feet away from the stove. They could knock over objects, hurt themselves or adjust settings that could lead to a fire.
- 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 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.
Safety Tips for Deep Frying, Grilling
- 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 or oil 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. Similarly, if there is a fire in the microwave oven, keep the door closed, turn it off and unplug it from the wall.
- Use an all-purpose fire extinguisher that is kept in or near your kitchen.
- If any cooking fire becomes too large to address safely, evacuate the home and call 911.
How To Use a Fire Extinguisher
