We at Sotera want to wish everyone a happy, safe holiday season. Between Christmas, Boxing Day, and New Year’s, plenty of end-of-year festivities keep everyone busy. While gathering with friends and family, it’s easy to get caught up in the whirlwind of activity and forget standard safety measures. Here are some tips to make sure you spend the holidays with your family and not the fire brigade:
Home safety measures:
– Knowledge is power
- The best response to an emergency is being prepared. Make sure you and your family know what to do during a fire in the home, whether that’s knowing where the fire extinguisher is and how to use it or knowing where the family meeting point is when everyone leaves the house during a fire (typically the neighbour’s mailbox across the street), who’s responsible for getting the kids and pets out of the house? Knowing what to do in an emergency is the first crucial step in minimizing the danger.
– Equipment is key
- Make sure you have the proper tools to detect and potentially fight a fire. Smoke alarms should be installed in every home and tested regularly. A small, dry chemical fire extinguisher and a fire blanket should be easily accessible in every cooking area. Doors leading to exits should be easy to open, and the paths should be kept clear. Have your phone charged and nearby in case you need to call 000.
Cooking:
– Cook with caution
- Never leave a cooktop or oven unattended when it’s on. Stay in the kitchen when frying, boiling, or grilling food. Cooktop fires grow rapidly and can quickly overwhelm if not extinguished immediately. Keep combustibles away from the cooktop (e.g., oven mitts, tea towels, curtains, plastic or cardboard food packaging). These items will easily catch fire near the heated cooktop.
– Respond properly
- Know which measures to take if there is a fire in the kitchen. Never throw water on a grease fire. Usually, putting a lid on the pot, turning the cooktop off and moving it to an unused burner is enough to smother a grease fire. For oven/air fryer fires – close the door, turn the device off, and be prepared to use a fire extinguisher if the fire grows. Fire extinguishers, fire blankets, and even baking soda are all quality suppressants for a kitchen fire.