Fire Prevention Week: Keep safe in the kitchen

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By Nick Seebruch
Fire Prevention Week: Keep safe in the kitchen

ONTARIO – It is Fire Prevention Week across the province of Ontario, and the Ontario Fire Marshal and Cornwall’s Fire Services Chief are reminding people to be safe in the kitchen this year.

“Cooking is the #1 cause of home fires and home fire injuries in Canada,” said Cornwall Fire Chief Jeff Weber. “This week, spend some time learning about the simple but important actions you can take to keep yourself and your family safe in the kitchen.”

The Ontario Fire Marshal and Ontario’s Solicitor General offered the following tips for keeping safe in the kitchen:

  • Always stay in the kitchen when cooking and turn the stove completely off if you must leave.
  • Keep a proper fitting lid near the stove. If a pot of oil catches fire, slide the lid over the pot and turn off the stove. Do not move the pot. Never throw water on a burning pot.
  • Keep anything that burns – plastic utensils, dishcloths, paper towels – a safe distance from the stove.
  • Cook responsibly. To prevent cooking fires, you must be alert. You are not alert if you have consumed alcohol or drugs.
  • Wear tight-fitted clothing or roll up your sleeves when using the stove. Loose, dangling clothing can easily catch fire.
  • Keep young kids one metre away from the stove. Turn pot handles away from the stove’s edge so pots can’t easily be knocked off.
  • If you burn yourself while cooking, run cool water over the wound for three to five minutes. If the burn is severe, seek medical attention.

“For most Ontario families, preparing food at home is part of daily life,” said Ontario Fire Marshal Jon Pegg. “Unfortunately, cooking fires occur all too often in Ontario. Making small changes to stay fire-safe can make a big difference in protecting you and your family.”

Fire Prevention Week runs from Oct. 4 to Oct. 10. Cornwall Fire Services is holding a colouring contest for kids and will send prizes out to the winners. Follow this link for more information about fire safety in the kitchen and about the colouring contest.

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