Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutHuron Expositor, 2000-10-04, Page 7• TONI MINION mtosrTON, odtMM 4, 3000-7 Fine Puevention Week Cooking causes many fires Cooking is a leading cause of home fires. Never leave cooking unattended. If grease catches fire, carefully slide a lid over the pan to smother the flames and turn off the burner. Good Cooking Advice The leading cause of home cooking fires and injuries is unattended cooking. Always keep an eye on food being heated. If you leave the kitchen - turn off the heat! Good cooking tip: If the phone rings or something else requires you to leave the kitchen momentarily when cooking, take a pot holder or wooden spoon with you as a reminder to get back to the kitchen quickly. Keep young children away from appliances when cooking. If you allow older children to cook. supervise them closely and teach them safe cooking practices. Good cooking tip: Enforce a three foot kid -free - zone around the range and teach youngsters not to play in that area. Dress appropriately for cooking. Wear short or tight -fitting sleeves when cooking and use caution when working near heat sources. Good Cooking Tip: Try not to reach or lean over the stove. You can avoid this by not storing items you use directly over or behind the stovetop. Provide plenty of quality, fire resistant pot holders and oven mitts for the cooks in your household. Good Cooking Tip: Select heavy, fire retardant oven mitts that nearly reach the elbow to protect your entire forearm from heat. Turn handles inward so pots and pans won't be pulled or knocked off the stove. Keep the stove -top clean and clear. Store things that can catch fire, like pot holders or wooden utensils, away from heat sources. Good Cooking Tip: Keep food or grease form building up by cleaning often. Monitor hot oil carefully and heat it slowly, keeping the pan lid close at hand. Guard against splattering grease. Know what to do in case a grease fire occurs. Use caution with electrical appliances. Plug one appliance into an outlet at a time. Have appliances with frated or cracked cords repaired before using. Never stand in or near water when using electrical appliances. Good Cooking Tip: Un -plug countertop appliances when not in use. Always have pot holders and lids at the ready when cooking. You may need them if you experience a small pan fire. What to do if you have a fire If a pan fire starts on the stove -top, carefully slide a lid or large pan over the fire and then turn off the burner. Never pour water on a grease fire because splashed grease can ignite combustibles in your kitchen, spreading the fire. Don't try to carry a pan that's on fire outside or to the sink. This is extremely dangerous because it can easily ignite your clothing or other combustibles you may pass with the pan. If a pan fire starts inside the oven, turn off the heat and keep the door closed to suffocate the flames. If a fire starts inside your microwave, keep the door shut, push the "stop" switch, and unplug the unit. Keep the door closed until the fire is out. Call the fire department if the fire does not go out immediately. If your clothing catch fire. do not run, Stop, drop to the ground and roll over and over until the flames are smothered. If you keep fire extinguishers on hand and plan to use them in.the event of a fire. Be sure you know what type to buy and how to use them properly. Ask your fire department for information on what to buy and training in their use. Cool a burn: If you experience a burn while cooking that does not break the skin, run cool water over the skin for 10 -15 minutes. Do not place butter or other ointmemt on the burn as this keeps the heat in and could further damage the skin. Severe burns, including burns that break the skin, should be treated by a physician. Heating equipment can be a leading cause of house fires Heating equipment is a leading cause of home fires. Most heating equipment fires start as a result of misuse or improper maintenance. When purchasing new heating equipment. be sure to select products that have been tested and approved by an independent testing laboratory. • Install and maintain heating equipment correctly, and be sure it complies with local fire building codes. Portable and Other Space Heaters Portable and space heaters can be either electric or fueled by gas. liquid fuel (kerosene), or solid fuel (wood or coal). A l l types must be placed at least 36 inches (1 meter) away from anything that can burn. such as wallpaper, bedding. clothing, pets and people. Never leave space heaters operating when you are not in the room or when you go to sleep. Don't leave children of pets unattended with space heaters, and be sure everyone understands that drying clothing or placing combustibles over heaters is a fire hazard. If you have an electric space heater check each season for fraying or splitting wires and overheating. Have all problems repaired by a professional before operating the space heater. Portable kerosene heaters If you have a liquid fueled space heater. use only the fuel recommended by the manufacturer. Never use gasoline or any other substitute fuel, because the wrong fuel could burn hotter than the equipment's design limits and cause a fire. When refueling, always turn off the Batteries inside smoke alarm need regular changing Fire experts encourage people to change smoke alarm batteries at least annually. An easy way to remember to change your batteries is when you tum you clock back in the fall. Replace old batteries with fresh,high quality alkaline batteries, such as Energizer brand batteries. to keep yoursmoke alarm going year long. Check smoke alarms After inserting afresh battery in your smoke alarm, check to make sure the smoke • alarm itself is working by pushing the safety test button. Count your alarms Install at least one smoke alarm on every level of your home, including one in every bedroom and one outside each sleeping area. Each month, clean your smoke alarm of dust and cobwebs to ensure their sensitivity. To make sure your emergency flashlights work when you need them, use high quality alkaline batteries. Note: Keep a working flashlight near your bed. in the kitchen, basement and family room, and use it to signal for help in the event 'of a tire. Install a fire extinguisher in or near your kitchen and know how to use it. Plan and practice your escape Create at least two different escape routes and practice them with the entire family. Children are at double the risk of dying in a home fire because they often become scared and confused during fires. Make sure your children understand that a smoke alarm signals a home fire and that they recognize its alarm. EE'S r &MEN'S INNS 78 SEAFORTH PLUMBING & HEATING 527-0505 INSURANCE BROKER LTD. 527-1610 heater and let it cool down before adding fuel. Wipe up any spills promptly. Store the kerosene away from heat or open flame in an approved container and be sure it is clearly marked with the fuel name. Fireplaces Have your chimney inspected by a professional prior to the start of every heating season and cleaned if necessary. Creosote, a chemical substance that forms when wood burns, builds up in chimneys and can cause a chimney fire if not properly cleaned. Always protect your home and your family by using a sturdy screen when burning fires. Remember to burn only wood --never burn paper or pine boughs, which can float out the chimney and ignite your roof or a neighbouring home. WHITNEY RIBEY FUNERAL HOME 527-1390 Never use flammable liquids in a fireplace. If you are purchasing a factory -built fireplace, select one listed by, a testing laboratory, and have it installed according to local codes. - Wood stoves Be sure your wood or coal . stove bears the label of ,a recognized testing laboratory and meets local fire codes. Follow the manufacturer's recommendations for proper installation, use and maintenance. Chimney connections and chimney flues should be inspected at the beginning of each heating season and cleaned periodically. Follow the same safety rules for wood stoves as you would for space heaters. Burn only wood. and be sure the wood stove is placed on an approved stove board to protect the floor from heat and hot embers. THE LOOKING GLASS 527-1783 PROGRESSIVE TURF EQUIPMENT INC. 527-1080 McKILLOP MUTUAL 527-0400 SEAFORTH VETERINARY CLINIC 527-1760 PROVINCE OF ONTARIO SAVINGS OFFICE 527-0210 MCLAUGHLIN CHEV-OLDS LTD. 527-1140 TONY ARTS FINANCIAL Tony Arts Brian Melady 527-0794 SEAFORTH SUNYS 527-2225 SEAFORTH SEWING CENTRE 527-1900 HILDEBRAND FLOWERS & GIFTS • 527-0555 STEDMANS V&S 527-1950 TP1 TRAVEL 527-2062 COUNTRY AUTOMOTIVE 522-2222 SEAFORTH JEWELLERS 527-0270 THE TOWN OF SEAFORTH SEAFORTH Ra/, 1✓ , Public Utility Commisssion 527-0530 SEAFORTH AUTOMOTIVE 527-0880 SIZZLERS RESTAURANT &PUB 527-2911 TUCKER'S MEAT SHOP 527-0036 PETE'S PAPER CLIP . 527-1681 MIDDEGAAL POOLS .& SPORTS 527-0104 ROMA/ C'AF�W_A_Y 527-0770 NIFTY KORNERS 527-1680