LAST week Grantham fire station manager Andy Ford gave us his first set of tips on cooking safety. Here’s part two . . .
ALL too often Lincolnshire Fire and Rescue is being called out to extinguish fires in the kitchen caused when the chef becomes too easily distracted.
By following a few simple steps, you can prevent fires in the kitchen, which can be devastating.
Here are some tips:
l If a pan catches fire, don’t move it because it will be very hot. Turn off the heat if it is safe to do so - don’t lean over the pan to reach the controls.
l Don’t use a fire extinguisher on a pan of oil because the force of the extinguisher can spread the fire. Never use water on chip pan fires as this will cause a fireball, use a fire blanket to smother the flames if it safe to do so. Then get out, stay out and call 999.
l If an electrical appliance catches fire, don’t throw water on it. If it is safe to do so, you may be able to put out the fire immediately by pulling the appliance’s plug out or switching off the power at the fuse box. If the fire doesn’t go out, get out of the house, stay out and call 999.
l You could consider keeping a fire blanket in the kitchen. Fire blankets can be used to put out a fire or wrap a person whose clothes are on fire.
l Don’t fit a smoke alarm in a kitchen or bathroom where it could be set off by cooking fumes or steam. If you find your smoke alarm goes off a lot accidentally, you can buy one that is fitted with a ‘hush’ button. This means you can silence it instantly so you’re not tempted to remove the battery (except to change it for a new one).