Make fire prevention a part of your holiday weekend
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Cooking safety tips and more from Vaughan Fire and Rescue
Service
Did you know cooking
is the number one cause of home fires in Ontario? By practising fire prevention
this holiday weekend, you are helping to ensure everyone in your household can
celebrate safely and enjoy traditional meals without worry.
When cooking, remember these important safety tips from
Vaughan Fire and Rescue Service:
- Stay in the kitchen when cooking. Turn off the stove if you must step away and remove all items from the stovetop when you are finished cooking.
- Avoid distractions and focus on the task in front of you.
- Avoid wearing loose-fitting clothing while cooking as it can catch on fire.
- Keep flammable items – oven mitts, cooking utensils, dish cloths, paper towels and potholders – a safe distance from the stove.
- Keep young kids away from the stove and turn pot handles away from the stove's edge to avoid them being accidentally knocked off.
- Ensure a proper-fitting pot lid is nearby to smother flames in the event of a fire.
- Use a heat-resistant surface to cool down hot cookware.
- Keep a working fire extinguisher in the kitchen.
- Have a working smoke alarm and a home escape plan just in case an incident occurs.
- Test all smoke alarms at least once a month by pressing the test button to ensure the alarm is working.
In the event of a grease or oil fire, smother the flames by
completely covering the pan or deep fryer with a large metal lid, cooking sheet
or flat tray. Never use water to put out a grease or oil fire – it will cause
the fire to spread.
If lighting candles for your table setting, always use
non-flammable candle holders and place candles where they will not be knocked
down, away from paper decorations, tablecloths and napkins. Never leave candles
in a room unattended and be sure to keep them out of reach of children and
pets. A better alternative is to use battery-powered flameless candles.
For more information and fire safety tips, visit vaughan.ca/fire. You can also visit the City
of Vaughan YouTube channel to
watch a series of kitchen
safety informational videos with
Vaughan Fire and Rescue Service.
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