October is Fire Safety Month

With the holidays coming up, many of us are doing a lot more cooking in our homes than usual.

In fact, the fire department responds to 170,000 cooking-related fires each year​. Taking some simple precautions can help ensure your home remains safe.

1. If leaving the kitchen, turn everything off: When cooking, especially when frying, grilling, or broiling food, never leave the kitchen unattended. If you have to leave, even for a short time, turn off the stove.
2. Keep flammable items away: Ensure that anything that can catch fire, such as oven mitts, wooden utensils, and towels are kept away from your stovetop.
3. Avoid wearing loose clothing: Long, flowing sleeves or loose-fitting clothing can catch fire if they come in contact with a gas flame or electric burner.
4. Be cautious with deep-frying: Deep-frying turkeys can be dangerous. Consider simply using your stove. And if you must deep fry your turkey, always use the fryer outdoors, on a flat surface, and away from any structures.
5. Have a fire extinguisher on hand: Make sure you have a fire extinguisher in your kitchen and know how to use it. A Class K extinguisher is ideal for cooking fires.
6. Install smoke alarms: Ensure smoke alarms are installed on every level of your home, inside bedrooms, and outside sleeping areas. Test them monthly to make sure they’re working properly.