The holiday season is here again and many family members will be in the kitchen cooking up a storm.
Here are some tips to prevent fires during the Yuletide season.
Supervise children every moment in the kitchen. This is the place where most accidents happen.
Wear tight sleeves in the kitchen: Loose sleeves can catch afire when cooking, especially over gas stoves.
Frying pan fire: Smother a frying pan fire by covering it with a lid. Turn off power or gas to the stove. Never put water in a frying pan fire.
Pot handles: Turn pot handles into the stove so children cannot pull them down.
Dangling cords: Roll up electrical appliance cords so they cannot be pulled down.
Burns: Put cold water on any burns. Call for medical help if skin is damaged.
Fire escape planning
Plan ahead: Know how to get
children out of bedrooms if the front or back doors are blocked by smoke. Make sure you know in advance what all your escape options are.
Smoke danger: Smoke kills. Shut doors to where the fire is, if possible, to stop the smoke filling the house and blocking your escape route.
Crawl in smoke: Show the children that by crawling in smoke they can get clearer air.
Make sure everyone is outside and do not try to go back into the house.
Call the fire service: (You may need to call from the house next door)
Know the address of the house: Give the address as street number and name, town, and the nearest side street if you know it.
Many fires in the home start at night. Make sure you have a bedtime fire safety routine to help keep your home and family safe. Here are a few simple things which you should do every night.
Unplug all electrical appliances not designed to stay on.
Make sure no cigarettes are still burning.
Before emptying ashtrays, make sure the contents are cold.
Put a guard around open fires.
Switch off portable heaters.
- Source: Jamaica Fire Brigade
