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LW fire reports were up in November

GRF HEALTH & SAFETY

by Eloy Gomez

health and safety specialist

The holiday season in the U.S. is generally considered to begin the day after Thanksgiving and end after New Year’s Day. However many Leisure World residents are already shifting into holiday mode and have begun to test their ovens to ensure they are functional and ready to try new recipes so they can bring the best homemade treats to those club and family holiday parties.

Unfortunately, this holiday cooking excitement also increases the risk of home fires in Leisure World.

In the first two weeks of November, there have been four fire incidents reported, including two stovetop, one microwave and one oven incident. Both stovetop incidents were caused by unattended cooking.

According to the Orange County Fire Authority, more cooking fires are reported on Thanksgiving Day than any other day of the year, followed by Christmas and Christmas Eve. Help protect your family, neighbors, unit and building by practicing cooking safety this holiday season.

Holiday Cooking Safety

Tips

• Stay in the kitchen when frying, grilling or broiling food. Unattended cooking is the leading cause of home cooking fires.

• Check food often while cooking. If you are entertaining guests, use a kitchen timer as a reminder that the stove or oven is on.

• Wear short, fitted or tightly rolled sleeves when cooking.

• Keep cooking areas clear. Pot holders, paper towels, wooden utensils and even cookbooks can be fire hazards if left too close to the stove, oven or other kitchen appliances.

• Clean cooking surfaces regularly to prevent grease buildup.

• Make sure children and pets stay at least 3 feet from the oven or stove.

• Test smoke alarms and never disable them while cooking.

• Inspect and remove combustible items from the oven before preheating; plastic and wooden handles and utensils can easily ignite.

In the Event of a Fire

• If the fire is on the stove, cover the pan with a lid and turn off the stove. Never try to move the pan to the sink and never pour water on a grease fire.

• If the fire is in the oven or microwave, keep the door closed and turn off the appliance.

• A multipurpose ABC fire extinguisher can also be used on a small cooking fire. An extinguisher should only be used if the fire is not spreading, and smoke and heat have not filled the area, and you have a clear escape path.

Each of the steps above must be followed by a call to 911, even if the fire has been doused. The fire department will check for hot-spots or damage to appliances. If the fire is spreading aggressively to other areas beyond the cooking surfaces, for example, floors, cabinets, counter top or items on the countertop, evacuate the unit immediately. Once safely out of the unit call 911 and begin to alert/evacuate your neighbors. Never re-enter a unit on fire.

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