PREPARING THE KITCHEN AND COOKING
 

Fifty percent of all apartment fires and one-quarter of the fires in private homes start in the kitchen.

Most home cooking fires involve the stovetop portion of the range. One-third of these fires result from unattended cooking. The majority of fires and burns can be prevented during food preparation by taking safety precautions. Follow these precautions when preparing the kitchen and cooking, especially for the Sabbath and holiday meals when there is increased activity in the kitchen:
 

• Stay in the kitchen--don’t leave cooking food unattended.

• Wear tighter or snug-fitting sleeves. (Loose sleeves are more likely to catch on fire or get caught on pot handles.)

• Take extra precaution when handling boiling water.

• Cook at indicated temperature settings, rather than higher settings.

• Don’t become distracted by attending to children or answering phone calls or doorbells.

• Create a “kid-free zone” of at least three feet around your stove.

• Keep area clear of towels, papers or anything that could burn.

• Turn pot handles inward, facing the wall, to prevent burns caused by overturning or spills.

• Have a pot lid and container of baking soda handy to smother a pan fire.                   DO NOT USE WATER!

• Treat burns immediately with cool running water and seek medical attention.