Avoid a Fire in Your Kitchen

7/9/2021 (Permalink)

SERVPRO employee deep cleaning of the kitchen interior after a fire.

An estimated 358,500 home fires occur every year. 50% of these fires start in the kitchen! In a five-year period, house fires caused $6.9 billion in property damage (NFPA). The main top three causes of fires in homes are cooking, heating equipment, and electrical malfunction (FEMA). It can take just 30 seconds for a small flame to turn into a major blaze (Department of Homeland Security). An average of 358,500 homes experiences a structural fire each year (NFPA). Every day, at least one child dies from a fire inside the home (Stanford Children’s Hospital). Its crazy to think all this is coming from a house fire, but nothing is impossible.

Let’s observe these following safety tips:

• Heaters- be sure to keep these heaters at least 3 feet away from any flammable objects, such as blankets or curtains.
• Space heaters- should be kept on tile or ceramic flooring — away from carpets or rugs. (Consider purchasing a space heater that automatically shuts off in the event it’s tipped over.)
• Be sure to extinguish the embers in a fireplace or the flame of a candle
• Install a fire alarm in every room and every floor of your home. Install a carbon monoxide detector on every floor of your home. Test all devices yearly and replace batteries as needed.
• If the unthinkable happens and you do find yourself in a house fire, remember:
  • “Stop, drop, and roll” if your clothing is on fire.
  • Crawl low to the floor and keep your airways covered.
  • Touch door handles to test if they’re hot before opening the door.
  • To open and use a fire extinguisher, use the following acronym: PASS
  • Pull the pin
  • Aim low at the base of the fire
  • Squeeze the handle slowly
  • Sweep the nozzle side to side