Niles Fire Chief Larry Lamb rarely misses an opportunity to educate the public about fire safety — especially during National Fire Safety Month (October).

He contacted the Niles Daily Star last week wanting to spread the message of cooking safety after a recent fire at a Niles apartment complex.

Lamb provided us a list of cooking safety tips that was too long to include in an article about fire safety that appeared in Wednesday’s Niles Daily Star.

We decided to include the full list in the hope that people will read it and heed the advice:

• Install a smoke alarm on every level of the home. Test smoke alarm batteries every month and change them at least once a year.

• Never leave cooking unattended. A serious fire can start in just seconds, especially with grease or oil frying, and sitting on the sofa can easily allow you to drift off to sleep, allowing an issue to grow quickly out of control.

• Double-check the kitchen before you go to bed or leave the house. Make sure all appliances are turned off.

• Always wear short, tight-fitting sleeves when cooking.

• Never use the range oven to heat the home.

• Don’t cook if you are under the influence of alcohol, fatigued or taking medication that causes drowsiness.

• If an oven fire occurs, turn off the heat and keep the oven door closed.

• Keep towels, pot holders and curtains away from flames and heating elements.

• Clean cooking surfaces regularly to prevent grease build-up, which can ignite.

• Heat oil gradually to avoid burns from spattering grease.

• Always keep a lid nearby when cooking. If a fire breaks out while cooking, put a lid on the pan to smother it, or use baking soda or a fire extinguisher.

• Never throw water on a grease fire.

• Don’t try to move or carry a pan containing hot grease or grease that is on fire. Even though moving the pan is a common reaction, it often results in burns to the carrier and additional fire damage. People have been badly burned when moving a pan under a sprinkler as it went off.

Cooking is the leading cause of home fires in the U.S. and many of these fires could have been avoided by practicing good cooking safety.

Following these tips is a good first step to keeping you and your family safe.

 

Opinions expressed are those of the editorial board consisting of Publisher Michael Caldwell and editors Ambrosia Neldon, Craig Haupert, Ted Yoakum and Scott Novak.