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Reduce Your Risk Don't leave cooking unattended: Stay in the kitchen whenever anything is cooking, and never leave food cooling on your stove or in your oven when you leave home. Turn off stoves and appliances promptly when you're finished using them. Unplug electrical appliances when they are not in use. Keep appliances clean: Built-up grease catches fire easily. Wipe appliance surfaces after spills, and clean stove surfaces and ovens regularly. Wear close-fitting sleeves when you cook: Loose sleeves can dangle too close to hot stove burners and catch fire. Protect yourself by wearing sleeves that fit snugly. Don't store things above your stove. Clothing can catch fire when you lean over stove burners to reach shelves. Keep flammable objects clear of the stove: Potholders, dish towels, and curtains may catch fire if they come in contact with hot burners. Keep such items a safe distance from your stove. Don't overload electrical outlets: Plugging too many kitchen appliances—such as toasters, coffee pots, or electric frying pans—into the same electrical outlet could overload your circuit, or overheat and cause a fire. Keep heat-producing appliances away from walls and curtains. Replace any frayed or cracked electrical cord immediately. Never use an appliance cord with a cracked, loose, or damaged plug. If an electrical appliance gets wet inside, have it serviced before using it again. Microwave safety: Microwave ovens stay cool, but what's cooked in them can be very hot. Use potholders when removing food from microwave ovens. Remove lids from packaged microwave foods carefully to prevent steam burns, and test food temperature before eating. Turn pot handles in: A pot handle sticking out over the edge of your stove can be bumped in passing or grabbed by a child. Prevent burns and stove-top fires by always turning pot handles in toward the back of the stove. Heat oil slowly: Heating oil too fast and at a high temperature is an easy way to start a serious kitchen fire. Heat oil slowly over moderate heat, and never leave cooling oil unattended. If a Fire Starts Smother a grease fire: Never pour water on a cooking fire. If a pan of food catches fire, carefully slide a lid over the pan and turn off the burner. If a fire starts in your oven, close the oven door and turn off the heat source. If the flames do not go out immediately, call the fire department. Close the door on microwave fires: If anything catches fire in your microwave, keep the door closed and turn off or unplug the microwave. Opening the door will only feed oxygen to the fire. Do not use the oven again until it is serviced. Portable fire extinguishers: Portable fire extinguishers can be effective in fighting small, contained fires. Kitchen fire extinguishers should be labeled by an independent testing lab as suitable for fighting Class B (grease and oil) fires and as safe for use on Class C (electrical) fires. Chemical fire extinguishers labeled for use on Class A (paper and common combustibles) fires and for use on Class B and C fires are appropriate for fighting food fires. Never fight a grease or electrical fire with an extinguisher labeled for Class A fires only. Never fight a fire unless you are sure you have the proper extinguisher for the type of fire and that you know how to use it. Before using a portable extinguisher, be sure that the fire department has been called, everyone else is out of the house, and that you have your back to a safe and unobstructed exit. If a fire does not go out immediately, go outside and wait for the fire department. Always call the fire department before attempting to fight a fire. Learn First Aid for burns: Run cool water over a burn for 10 to 15 minutes. This will minimize skin damage, and ease the pain. Never apply butter or other grease to a burn. If burned skin is blistered or charred, see a doctor as soon as possible. Stop, Drop, and Roll: If your clothing catches fire, do not run. Stop where you are, drop to the ground, cover your face with your hands, and roll over and over to smother the flames. If someone else's clothes catch fire, push them to the ground and roll them over and over, or smother the flames with a blanket or carpet. |
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