Let’s say you’re in your fifties and have been a kitchen wizard for as long as you can remember. It’s your comfort zone, your happy place – you have a tried and true system for doing things, and where everything goes.

In all that time, you’ve never caused or experienced a kitchen fire. That’s great news, no matter how long you’ve been at it or how much time you devote to meal preparation. And yet, not everyone is quite so lucky.

According to data accumulated and distributed by U.S. fire departments, there are an average of 162,400 home cooking fires every year resulting in an average of 430 civilian deaths and 5,400 injuries.

Kitchen fires are real, they happen, and sometimes even to the most careful of people. So, for your own protection, we offer up these safety measures. Even if there’s one you hadn’t fully considered before, going through the list will be time well spent.

• Never leave food unattended while using the stovetop or oven broiler.
• Check on your food regularly while cooking, baking, or roasting, and remain indoors.
• Use a timer to remind you in case you get distracted with phone calls, kids’ homework, folding laundry, etc.
• Avoid wearing loose, flowy clothing or dangling sleeves while cooking.
• Enforce a three foot “kid- and pet-free zone” around the stove.
• Keep anything that can catch fire like potholders, oven mitts, wooden utensils, paper towels, and food packaging away from your stovetop, or any other heat-generating appliance.
• Clean cooking surfaces regularly to prevent a grease fire.
• Keep a small fire extinguisher in your kitchen – or right nearby – and learn how to use it before you might need to.
• Before going to bed or leaving the house, always check the kitchen to ensure that all burners, the oven, and small appliances are turned off.

For ultimate safety, you want a whole-house security alarm system custom designed and installed by Now Security Systems. Our systems include combined fire and smoke detectors that connect to our on-site monitoring station so we can take immediate action in case of fire and contact your local first responders.

Contact us today for more information and a free new system proposal.