Grease Fire Safety Tips

Kitchen fires happen to everyone – even professional cooks. The most important thing to do is to act quickly. There are a few things to remember when dealing with a grease fire, and they can all be learned in less than the five minutes it’ll take to read this article. Invest five minutes now to find out the right techniques for managing kitchen fires!

When in Doubt, Call for Help

Calling for firefighters is always a good idea when it comes to grease fires, particularly if you aren’t confident you can deal with them. Grease fires can escalate quickly, so call 911. Don’t assume it’s a just a little fire or be afraid of asking for help because you’ll look dumb. Fires are serious and dealing with fires small and large is a firefighter’s job.

Turn Off the Burner

Grease fires are triggered by, you guessed it, grease that’s been heated up by an external source. Killing the heat source will eventually starve the fire, so turn off your burner or your oven and remove the hot pot or pan from the heat source if possible.

Use a Fire Extinguisher (Carefully)

All homeowners should have a Class B kitchen flame extinguisher within easy reach, ideally between the kitchen and your nearest exit. Class B extinguishers are specially made to put out fires caused by flammable liquids. When using your extinguisher, don’t just shoot it at the flames. This is a waste and may actually make the fire worse. Aim the hose at the base of the fire. To learn more about the fire extinguisher, please read our tips on how fire extinguisher can save life.

Do Not Use Water

We’ll say it again: Do Not use Water. It will probably be your first instinct. We’ve all seen water put out the fire before. But water will NOT help in a grease fire and in fact, will make it worse. Pouring water on a hot pan will just cause hot water to spatter everywhere, and possibly set other things on fire. Do Not Use Water.

Do Not Carry a Burning Pot Or Pan Outside

You may be tempted to remove the source of the fire and take it outside so your kitchen won’t burn, but this is very unsafe. Kitchens are often fire-resistant with tiles and porcelain surfaces. Also, you may hurt your hands and arms carrying a flaming pot or pan and the flames may spread to your clothes. Even if you do make it outside, you may just spread the fire to grass, trees, and other flammable things.

Do Try to Smother the Fire

You can’t smother a fire with just anything. Metal lids can help, but do not use glass lids as they may overheat and shatter. Try using a wet blanket or towel. Also, try using salt or baking soda to smother a grease fire.

Phoenix Fire Prevention – Vancouver Fire Protection

Phoenix Fire Prevention is a fire safety consultant and outfitter that offers fire safety services to Vancouver and its surrounding areas. Does your workplace need be brought up to code? Do you need to brush up on fire extinguisher basics? Do you need to outfit your building with fire safety equipment? If you answered yes to any of these questions, call us (604) 534-6079 immediately.

 

All credit goes to Phoenix Fire Prevention




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