Don’t Let A Kitchen Fire Invite Itself to Your Holiday Party

11/14/2018 (Permalink)

Did you know that cooking fires are the number 1 cause of house fires in the United States? During the Holiday season, many things can go astray during the excitement and flurry of commotion. The last thing you want, is a kitchen fire to erupt. Are you prepared on how to prevent or stop a kitchen fire in case it happens? If not, do not worry! Here are some tips to keep you safe during the holiday season.

Don’t Overload the Electrical Outlets

Electrical fires are twice as deadly as other home fires. Preventing overcrowding in the circuits are the way to go! If you don’t have enough outlets to avoid plugging in two crockpots full of holiday goodness into the same outlet, then a surge protector is one of the best holiday gifts you can give yourself!

Additionally, never use any electrical device where there is a potential for the device to get wet. If there is an electrical issue, AVOID WATER.  Unplug the device if it is safe enough to do so with a towel, turn the circuit breaker off, and tend to the fire if it is possible. You never want to put your family at risk, so if the fire is too out of control, evacuate the household quickly and contact your local fire department.

Decorations, Decorations, Decorations

Who doesn’t go full out when decorating for holidays? Candles, decorative towels, bows, and so much more dress our entire house. Why could that be an issue if the decorations are not placed safely? The issue is that in November and December, 20 percent of house fires are due to decorations being too close to an open flame or heat. Decorations are fun for holidays when you can take them down at the end of the year, not when you have to rebuild and decoration an entire kitchen after a fire!

Gas Leak

When temperatures drop, and kitchens are busy cooking holiday feasts, a household gas consumption increases. This is when you need to be aware of the smells in your home or any hissing noises. The smell of rotten eggs is a sign of a dangerous gas leak and needs to be taken seriously. Hissing noises could mean that your stove could have a breach in its connection but DO NOT pull the stove away to check. You could further the disconnection and create a larger leak. Do not turn on lights of use your phone due to the potential of a fire to spark. Instead, evacuate, turn off the gas to your home, and call 911.

Don’t Let Fun Time Take Away From Safety

Grease fires can start in a second, don’t let old family stories cause you to leave the kitchen unattended with food cooking. When a fire starts, especially from grease, you want to put that fire out before it damages your home or your family.

Water is not your friend when grease fires are involved. Pouring water on a grease fire will cause the flame to intensify and become a larger fire. Baking soda and salt are the best things to put out that kind of flame!

In Conclusion

Holidays are very fun, yet very dangerous if you are not taking safety into consideration. Make sure to have functioning smoke detectors and a fire hydrant easily accessible in your home and take a moment to learn and prepare how to handle a kitchen fire if it happens. The only fire you want in your home, is the one in your fireplace when you are roasting chestnuts. Happy Holidays!