Fire prevention starts in the kitchen.
This year Dave Bissat, chief of 100 Mile Fire Rescue, said he is promoting awareness of the National Fire Protection Association theme “Cooking Safety Starts With You.” Bissat said that fires are quite common in kitchens so it’s important the general public know how to avoid them.
“This year we’ve responded to 68 structure fires that have started for a wide variety of reasons, but I do know that there were some we attended where people didn’t lose their homes because they had a fire extinguisher handy. They’re a very good thing to have in a kitchen. They save lives and stop fires,” Bissat said. “Kitchen fires are very common.”
In fact, the most common causes of house fires are cooking-related incidents, electrical malfunctions, heating equipment issues, smoking, and intentional acts or arson, he said.
In addition to having a fire extinguisher handy, Bissat said there are a few key steps people can take to prevent fires in the kitchen. The foremost one is not leaving cooking unattended for any reason. This tends to be a common way fires start and it is completely preventable. He added that extra care should be taken when doing any cooking with grease or oils.
He also advises homeowners manage flammable materials near stoves and ovens. Removing paper towels or other items that could catch fire when cooking is a simple task. Bissat said that regular maintenance and cleaning of your cooking equipment will also reduce the risk of a fire.
“You also want to prevent electrical overloads by not having a whole lot of stuff plugged into a socket in your kitchen,” he said.
Finally, Bissat said that it’s important to share these tips with everyone in your household, especially children and teenagers learning to cook for the first time. To that end, firefighters spent several hours on Tuesday, Oct. 10, speaking to children at 100 Mile Elementary promoting fire safety, and giving out pamphlets.
Bissat also plans to have several groups of children from daycares and homeschool groups tour the fire hall this week to further spread the message.
“Kids at the school age are often helping their parents cook and it’s a good way to get the message out there,” Bissat said.
Outside of the kitchen, Bissat said people looking to prevent fires should ensure their smoke alarms have fresh batteries, outdoor barbeques aren’t kept against the house, and that potentially flammable debris is cleared out of their yards. He also advised people to practice safe smoking habits, and dispose of cigarette butts properly.
Having an escape plan in the event a fire does occur is also important, he added.
“It’s important your kids know they have two escape routes and that you have a plan for emergency events. Make sure you have a meeting spot if something bad was to happen. It’s a simple conversation to have with them (that could save lives).”
