Monday, October 7, 2013 (Halifax NS) – Fire Prevention week is October 6-12.

This year’s theme is “Prevent Kitchen Fires”.

Unattended cooking is a major cause of home fires. And most – if not all – of these fires are preventable with just a few simple safety precautions.

It is important when cooking to turn off the stove if you are distracted for any reason – telephone, TV, doorbell, children, pets, or anything else that forces you to look away from the stove.

The following tips are recommended for safety in the kitchen:

• Never deep fry fat on the stove top. It literally takes just a few minutes for a pot of oil on the stove to catch fire. Most vegetable oils have a smoking point at around 450-degrees Fahrenheit, while animal fats like lard will start smoking at around 375-degrees Fahrenheit.
• Keep a lid nearby – small fires on the stove can be smothered by sliding a lid over the pan/pot.
• Keep a one metre (3-foot) “kids-free” zone around the stove.
• Turn pot handles away from the stove’s edge.
• Use the stove’s back burners to ensure hot pots and pans are out of reach for young children.
• Appliance cords should be coiled and kept away from counter edges.

For more on fire prevention: Halifax.ca/fireprevention

Dave Burnet Division Chief – Fire prevention Halifax Fire & Emergency 490-7145

Brendan Elliott Corporate Communications 490-2377

Source: Release