Practise fire safety this Thanksgiving
Follow these tips from Vaughan Fire and Rescue Service while cooking holiday meals
Did you know cooking is the number one cause of home fires in Ontario? By practising fire prevention this Thanksgiving weekend, you are helping to ensure everyone in your household can celebrate safely and enjoy a delicious meal without worry.
Follow 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, even for a moment, 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 easily snag on pot handles or catch on fire.
- Keep flammable items – such as 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 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.
- If using a large deep fryer, NEVER operate these inside your home or garage.
In case of a grease or oil fire, smother the flames by sliding on a large metal lid, cooking sheet or flat tray to completely cover the pan or deep fryer. 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. Place candles where they will not be knocked over, and away from paper decorations, tablecloths and napkins. Never leave candles unattended, and 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 and watch the City’s cooking fire safety video.
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