RWC Fire Dept. Offers a Few Tips to Prevent Kitchen Fires this Thanksgiving

General Fire Safety Tips

• Children and older adults face a higher risk of death from cooking fires than anyone else.
• Children can be easily and seriously burned if they're not supervised. Make sure children are kept at least 3 feet away from stoves and any other equipment that can become hot. Also, children should be kept away from hot food and liquids.
• When baking, simmering, roasting, or boiling food, make sure to check on it regularly. Always stay at home while cooking and use a timer for a reminder.

Cooking with Deep Fryers?

• NFPA discourages the use of outdoor gas-fueled turkey fryers that immerse the turkey in hot oil.
• If you choose to use a deep fryer, they should be used very carefully according to manufacturer's directions. They should never be used indoors.
• Keep in mind you're heating oil to high temperatures over an open flame, and splashed oil can cause extremely serious burns and spread uncontrolled fire in the area of the fryer

Have a fire escape plan!

• Every family member should know at least two ways out of each room.
• Know how to get out of the house whenever the smoke alarm sounds.
• Decide ahead of time on where to meet once everyone is out.
• NEVER call 9-1-1 from a burning house unless you are trapped inside. You should evacuate and then call 9-1-1.

Working smoke alarms save lives!

• Having working smoke alarms in your home can give you advance warning if there's a fire.
• If your alarm sounds, take it seriously. You only have a few minutes to escape a house fire.
• If you haven't changed the batteries in your smoke & carbon monoxide alarms yet this year, now is a good time.

REMEMBER...

Taking just a little time for fire prevention during the holidays can go

a long way towards saving your family's lives!