Kitchen Fire Safety

Your hungry family is home, and all the ingredients are on the kitchen countertop. All that’s left to do is cook the meal. But before you light the burner or preheat the oven, remind yourself that the kitchen is where most fires in the home start. Remember the following tips so your kitchen stays free of fire hazards.

Kitchen Fire Safety Must-Haves

Every kitchen should have the following safety essentials on hand:

• Fire Extinguisher: An ABC Dry Chemical fire extinguisher is the best option since it won’t accelerate grease fires. Read the instructions, and know how to operate it.
• Smoke Detector: A smoke detector with a pause button is best in case of false alarms. Neighboring rooms to the kitchen should also have smoke detectors.
• Oven Mitts: Protect those hands with a thick, durable pair.

Safe Home Cookin'

Be a safe chef in your home by remembering these safety practices, and prevent a fire from ever starting:

• Don’t leave your cooking unattended. Checking your email or watching TV can wait until you’ve switched off the burner.
• Keep cooking area clean to prevent grease buildup.
• Have nothing flammable near the stove. Keep curtains, potholders, dishtowels, food packaging, and Mom’s recipe cards away from the stove.
• Roll up your sleeves, tuck in your shirt, and pin back long hair.
• Heat cooking oil slowly. Be patient with those French fries; heating oil too quickly can easily start a fire.

Cooking Safe With Your Little Chefs

It may be unavoidable for kids to resist the pleasant smells wafting from the kitchen. Kids often want to help cook, so bear in mind the following tips:

• Enforce a “kid-free zone.” Young children should be kept at least 3 feet away from the stove while older family members are cooking to avoid accidents and spills.
• Use the back burners, and turn pot handles toward the center of the range. This will keep hot items out of a child’s reach and reduce the risk of spills.
• Teach children that hot things can burn.
• Never hold a child while cooking.

If A Cooking Fire Starts:

• Water and grease don't mix. In the event of a grease fire, NEVER POUR WATER ON IT. It will spread. Use a fire extinguisher, or when in doubt, get out and call for help.
• Put a lid on it. If a pan catches fire, slide a lid over the pan and turn off the stove burner. Leave the lid on until it is completely cool.
• Keep the oven or microwave door shut if fire starts. Turn off the heat. If the flames do not go out immediately, get out and call for help.
• Stop, drop, and roll. If your clothes catch fire, smother them on the kitchen floor before getting out of the house.

How To Properly Use A Fire Extinguisher

Most home fires start small. A variety of factors contribute to a fire spreading from small to large, but with a fire extinguisher handy on each floor of your home – most significantly, one in your kitchen – you can quickly snuff out a small, sudden fire without needing to call 911.

Fire Extinguisher ABCs

Before you buy or use a fire extinguisher, it’s important to know that different kinds of fires often require different kinds of fire extinguishers. For the home, your best bet is an “ABC” dry chemical fire extinguisher. This multipurpose extinguisher is good for the home because it can put out the three most common types of home fires: wood and paper fires (class “A”), grease and oil fires (class “B”), and electrical fires (class “C”). It’s important to remember that some extinguishers have limitations, and will not work on certain fires. For instance, a specific extinguisher for class “A” fires is water-based, and should never be used on a class “B” grease fire.

PASS It On

Once you’ve chosen your fire extinguisher, be prepared and read all the operating instructions on its canister. A typical fire extinguisher contains only about 10 seconds of extinguishing power, so knowing how to operate one ahead of time means nothing goes to waste. All extinguishers work in a similar manner, and an easy way of remembering how to use one is the acronym “PASS”:

• Pull the pin at the top of the extinguisher.
• Aim the nozzle at the base of the fire, not at the flames.
• Squeeze the handle to release the extinguishing agent.
• Sweep the spray back and forth across the fire until it’s out.

Before pulling the pin, make sure everyone else in the house is safely outside. Also be sure an exit is at your back, in case the extinguisher doesn’t fully accomplish the job and you need to escape quickly.

Maintain Your Extinguisher

Simply having an extinguisher in your home is not enough: Like any tool, it requires that you maintain it. Every month, dry chemical extinguishers (like the recommended “ABC” type) need to be shaken to prevent the powder from settling. If your extinguisher has a pressure gauge, consistently check that it is not too high or low. Keep the extinguisher clean, and wipe off any oil or grease residue that may accumulate on it from cooking. Also, never use an old extinguisher with signs of damage such as dents or rust; simply replace it with a new one.

Power Outage Tips

Before

• Have a place in your home where flashlights, a battery-powered radio, and extra batteries can be easily found.
• If you know the outage is coming, set aside extra water and buy or make extra ice. You can use the ice to keep perishable items cool.
• Make sure the battery in your smoke detector is fresh. Test the smoke detector on a monthly basis to make sure it’s working.
• Keep an appliance thermometer in the freezer. If the freezer is 40 degrees Fahrenheit or colder when the power returns, all the food is safe.

During

• If possible, use flashlights instead of candles for emergency lighting. Candles used in unfamiliar settings can be dangerous fire hazards.
• Turn off or disconnect any appliances, equipment, or electronics that were on when the power went out. When power comes back on, it may come back with momentary “surges” or “spikes”* that can damage equipment such as computers and motors in appliances like the air conditioner, refrigerator, washer, or furnace.
• Leave one light on so you know when the power returns.
• Avoid opening the refrigerator and freezer. This will help keep your food as fresh as possible. Be sure to check food for signs of spoilage.
• Use generators safely. If you have a portable generator, only run it outdoors with adequate ventilation. Never use a generator indoors or in attached garages. The exhaust fumes contain carbon monoxide, which can be deadly if inhaled.
• Listen to the radio for updates.

Choosing The Best Door Lock For Your Home

Taking the time to research and install the best door lock for your home can help provide a first line of safety for your family members and personal belongings.

Professional locksmiths can assist you in evaluating your lock’s security, as can members of your local police department. These professionals have seen firsthand what works and what doesn’t, so consider taking advantage of their experience and expertise when choosing the best door locks for your home.

Research Your Options

Some locks commercially available at hardware stores have been graded according to standards developed by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) and the Builders Hardware Manufacturers Association (BHMA). Product grades can range from Grade One through Grade Three, with one being the highest in terms of function and material integrity. Visit the BHMA website to research a lock you intend to purchase and see how it stacks up to its competitors.

Also, remember some locks include strike plates that include extra-long three-inch screws for added protection against force. If your locks don’t come with them, other bolstering options for strike plates are available at your local hardware store.

Doorjamb reinforcement kits are also available, and can be retrofit into the existing doorjamb to reinforce key strike points (hinges, strike, and the door edge). The reinforcement plates are typically made of galvanized steel and installed with 3.5-inch screws. Adding doorjamb reinforcement significantly increases the strength of the door system. Be sure to follow the manufacturer’s recommendations for the length of the screws going into your doorframe.

Spring Latch (or Slip Bolt) Locks

These locks provide minimal security, but are the least expensive and easiest to install. They work by locking the doorknob of the door, thus preventing the release of a spring-loaded latch that fits into the doorframe.

However, this type of lock is vulnerable in several ways. Devices other than the properly fitting key can be used to release the pressure keeping the spring in place, allowing for release of the bolt for burglars. More forceful intruders can smash the doorknob and lock from the door with a hammer or wrench. A protective metal plate to reinforce the wood around the doorknob is recommended to prevent this.

Deadbolt Locks

The deadbolt lock works by effectively bolting the door into its frame. The bolt is “dead” in that it has to be manually moved in and out of place by means of a key or knob. There are three basic parts of deadbolt lock: a key-accessible outside cylinder, the “throw” (or bolt) which slides in and out of the door jamb, and the thumb-turn, which allows for manual control of the bolt from the inside of the home. A standard horizontal throw extends one inch beyond the edge of the door and into the jamb. All deadbolt locks should be made of solid steel, bronze, or brass; die-cast materials are not fashioned for great impact and could break apart.

The principal weakness of any horizontal deadbolt lock is that it is possible for an intruder to pry the door apart from the jamb or its strike plate in the jamb to disengage the throw. This can be remedied with a vertical (or surface-mounted) deadbolt, which resists the separation of lock from jamb. The throw of a vertical deadbolt engages by interlocking with a set of cast metal rings affixed to the frame of the door. The rings surrounding the bolt make this lock essentially pry-proof.

In the instance of a door containing glass panes, a double-cylinder deadbolt might be employed. This particular type of deadbolt lock requires a key to unlock the bolt from both the outside and inside of the home – so a potential thief cannot simply break through the glass, reach inside, and manually unlatch the thumb-turn in order to unlock the door. However, some fire safety and building codes forbid the installation of locks that require keys to open from the inside, so consult with a contractor or locksmith in your area before installing one. Consider alternatives to the potentially hazardous double cylinder deadbolt. Try installing a supplemental lock that is completely out of arm's reach (either at the top or flush to the bottom of a door); security glazing; or impact-resistant glass panels.

It’s important to remember that no lock is 100 percent guaranteed to deter or keep out all intruders. However, you can greatly reduce the likelihood of intruders by making sure that all exterior doors are fitted with some form of deadbolt locks and strike plates, and that you are diligent in using these locks while at home and away.

Safe Room Protects Family

An Alabama family survived the massive tornado strike that ripped through their Athens, Alabama neighborhood, killing nearly 250 people.

Kevin and Sarah Beth Harrison, with their two children, huddled inside a “safe room” Kevin and his father built inside the family detached garage. After the storm the garage was gone. The only thing left standing was the safe room.

The Harrisons were honored for their foresight by the Federal Alliance for Safe Homes, FLASH®.

Having a safe room built into your house can protect you and your family from the dangerous forces of nature.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has developed plans for a family shelter space for use in the event of a natural disaster. The safe room plans, researched by Texas Tech University, come in a variety of designs for rooms in the basement and rooms on the main floor for homes without basements.

The safe rooms are built out of reinforced concrete, reinforced concrete block, or wood-framed walls with plywood and steel sheathing. The room is covered with a similar structural ceiling/roof that is independent of the house structure. Everything is tied down to the foundation from the top of the safe room to resist the uplift forces generated during a tornado or hurricane. The exterior materials and structure of the safe room are impact resistant to protect the occupants from windborne debris.

Things Never To Do With An Extension Cord

Extension cords are a convenient way to extend power to electrical devices. Used without proper caution, however, they can become a fire hazard and pose a risk to your personal safety. Use these tips to help keep your household safe:

Selecting Extension Cords

• Purchase cords approved by an independent testing laboratory. Read the device’s instruction manual for information about its use and the amount of power it draws when running.
• For outside projects, use extension cords marked for outdoor use.
• Select extension cords rated to handle the wattage drawn by the device. A cord’s gauge indicates its size: The smaller the gauge, the larger the wire and the more electrical current the cord can safely handle.
• Consider the length of the extension cord you’ll need. Longer cords carry less electrical current than shorter cords of the same gauge.
• Select cords with polarized or three-prong plugs. 
• To power larger appliances, select thick, round, low-gauge extension cords. For smaller appliances and electronics, choose thin, sometimes flat cords.

Extension Cord Don’ts:

• Don’t remove the grounding pin to retrofit an extension cord for a two-prong outlet.
• Don’t power multiple devices with one cord.
• Don’t use indoor extension cords outdoors.
• Don’t plug multiple extension cords together.
• Don’t run extension cords under rugs or furniture.
• Don’t tape extension cords to floors or attach cords to surfaces with staples or nails.
• Don’t bend or coil extension cords when in use.
• Don’t use extension cords that feel hot to the touch.

Caring for Extension Cords

• Cover unused extension cord receptacles with childproof plugs.
• Store cords indoors.
• Unplug extension cords when not in use.
• Throw away damaged extension cords.
• Pull the plug—not the cord—to disconnect from an outlet.

Extension cords are temporary wiring solutions. If you’re using extension cords for permanent power, consider updating your home’s electrical system.

Home-Security Tip #6

Dogs are good deterrents to burglars. Even a small, noisy dog can be effective -- burglars do not like to have attention drawn to their presence. Be aware, however, that trained guard dogs do not make good pets. Obedience training and attack training are entirely different, and only the former is appropriate for a house pet.