Plymouth National Fire Prevention Week Focuses On Fire Safety In The Kitchen

Press release from the City of Plymouth:

October 1, 2020

The Plymouth Fire Department offers safety tips and reminders for residents in advance of National Fire Prevention Week, Oct. 4-10.

This year’s theme, “Serve up fire safety in the kitchen,” is geared toward educating the public about cooking and fire safety. The annual theme is selected and promoted by the National Fire Protection Association, as well as fire departments throughout the country.

According to NFPA, cooking fires are the leading cause of home fires in the United States. Nearly half of all home fires involve cooking equipment – and unattended cooking is the leading cause of these fires. Per the NFPA, approximately one in five cooking fires result in deaths, while 45% ­result in injuries.

Cooking Fire Prevention Tips

The majority of cooking fires are preventable. Reminders and tips regarding this year’s theme include:

• Residents should keep a close eye on what they’re cooking and never leave cooking unattended
• Keep anything that can catch fire – oven mitts, wooden utensils, food packaging, towels or curtains – at least 3 feet away from the stovetop
• Be on alert – those who are sleepy or have consumed alcohol should not use the stove
• 66% of cooking fires begin with food or materials that are ignited

What to Do About a Grease Fire

Sometimes even the most attentive residents are unable to prevent cooking fires. For example, oil in a pan may become too hot and ignite. In the event of a grease fire, residents should follow these tips:

• Do not use water on a grease fire
• Cover the flames with a metal lid or cookie sheet and leave the cover on until it has cooled
• Turn off the heat source
• Do not attempt to move it
• If the fire is small, pour baking soda on it
• As a last resort, use a class B fire extinguisher (or an ABC extinguisher)
• Call 911 – Plymouth firefighters will ensure the situation is safe and help with smoke removal

Residents who are unable to extinguish a grease fire should get out and close any door into the kitchen, if possible – then call 911 when they are safe.

Plymouth’s Calls for Service

“The Plymouth Fire Department receives a variety of calls each year that involve kitchens or cooking,” said Plymouth Fire Prevention Specialist Steve Marti. “We code these into the system as ‘burnt food’ – but any of these calls could have developed into a kitchen fire.”

So far in 2020, the Plymouth Fire Department has responded to 42 calls for service that have been labeled burnt food. In 2019, the department responded to a total of 77 of these types of calls.

This press release was produced by the City of Plymouth. The views expressed here are the author’s own.