16 Fire Safety Tips For Your Home
March 27, 2015 
General Tips:
1. Stay in the kitchen
The most common fires occur from people leaving food on the stove unattended. Don’t leave the kitchen while you have things cooking. If you have to leave the kitchen, turn off the stove and take your pots and pans off the heat. This is equally important if you are broiling food in the oven – take the food out of the oven and turn off the broiler.
2. Watch your clothing and hair
Long, flowing sleeves, large-fitting shirts and even aprons can catch fire. When cooking, wear short or close-fitted sleeves and keep your baggy shirts tucked in or tied back with a well-fitted apron. Also watch that your hair is away from open flame
3. Be aware of the items around the stovetop
Kitchen towels, oven mitts, appliance cords and even curtains can easily catch fire if set near a hot burner. Always move flammable items away from your stovetop. Be careful when using towels to move a pot off the burner. Ideally, use an oven mitt, but if using a towel, be sure it doesn’t dangle down and touch the burner.
4. Keep a fire extinguisher in or near the kitchen
In the case you do have a fire, a fire extinguisher can make the difference between an easy to clean up burned pan and a kitchen engulfed in flames. Be sure you actually know how to use it, too.
5. Change the batteries in your smoke detector
Chances are you have a smoke detector in the kitchen or in the room adjacent to the kitchen. It’s not enough to have a smoke detector – you need to make sure the smoke detector is operable. He recommends changing your smoke detector batteries every six months.
6. Never throw hot grease in the garbage can
First of all, know the smoke points of your oils and never subject an oil with a low smoke point to high heat cooking – it can catch fire. Second, never throw hot grease in the garbage can. Even if the grease isn’t on fire, it can cause something in the garbage to burn. Instead, let grease cool and dispose of it in an old coffee can.
Note
A smoke point is the temperature at which an oil starts to break down. In addition to being a potential fire hazard, it can be damaging to your health. Fats that have gone past their smoke points are believed to contain large amounts of free radicals, which contribute to cancer
7. Be prepared to put out a fire
Though you don’t want a fire to occur, be prepared in the case it does. The best thing to do if you have a stovetop fire is to put a proper fitting lid over the pan or pot to smother it. Never use water and never pick a burning pan up and put it in the sink – you not only risk spreading the fire to the sink, you risk getting badly burned if the burning ingredients slosh out. Another recommendation from: Don’t use flour to put out a fire – it can burn, too – and it makes a mess.
8. Have a fire escape plan
Keep the fire department telephone number written and/or programmed on your telephone. Sit down with your family and have a fire escape plan that includes getting out of the house and meeting outside in a designated area. It’s important that your family – especially your kids – know what to do before a fire occurs. Practice your plan every month.
9. Stop, drop, roll
In the event you do catch fire, follow the Stop, Drop, and Roll Principal. Don’t run if your clothing catches fire – stop where you are, drop to the ground, and roll. Then get to a hospital to get treatment for your burns.
10. Call the fire department
Don’t ever hesitate to call your local fire department – even if you have successfully put out your fire. It’s better to be safe than sorry. Practice fire prevention measures every time you are in the kitchen, and be sure to pass the measures on to your kids.
Shabbos Tips:
Candles
11. Candle placement
Place candles on a sturdy heat resistant surface away from flammable materials including walls, curtains, cabinets, wooden and plastic tables, tablecloths, etc. Keep surfaces and surrounding areas clear of burned matches and other debris. Light candles out of children’s reach and where they cannot be knocked over.
12. Watch the candles
Never leave Shabbos/ Yom Tov candles unattended or go to sleep while they are burning.
Use extra caution when lighting 24 hour yahrzeit candles, keep on a heat resistant surface away from flammable materials.
Cooking
13. Proper placement
Set appliances (crock pot, hot plat, etc.) back on counter to avoid accidental burns and spills.
Position blech so heat can escape from all sides without heating walls, cabinets, and counters.
Never cover oven vents with aluminum foil. Keep pot handles turned inward and away from the edge of the stove.
14. Safe zone
Designate ovens, stoves and heat containing appliances as a “NO GO ZONE” for children
15. Carrying food
Use extra caution when carrying hot food around children. Don’t ever move pots of boiling hot liquids while uncovered!
16. Use electrical timers
Use electrical timers for your hot plate and other necessary appliances but be sur
e not to overload electrical timers/ outlets and only use timers intended and rated for desired use.
1. Stay in the kitchen
The most common fires occur from people leaving food on the stove unattended. Don’t leave the kitchen while you have things cooking. If you have to leave the kitchen, turn off the stove and take your pots and pans off the heat. This is equally important if you are broiling food in the oven – take the food out of the oven and turn off the broiler.
2. Watch your clothing and hair
Long, flowing sleeves, large-fitting shirts and even aprons can catch fire. When cooking, wear short or close-fitted sleeves and keep your baggy shirts tucked in or tied back with a well-fitted apron. Also watch that your hair is away from open flame
3. Be aware of the items around the stovetop
Kitchen towels, oven mitts, appliance cords and even curtains can easily catch fire if set near a hot burner. Always move flammable items away from your stovetop. Be careful when using towels to move a pot off the burner. Ideally, use an oven mitt, but if using a towel, be sure it doesn’t dangle down and touch the burner.
4. Keep a fire extinguisher in or near the kitchen
In the case you do have a fire, a fire extinguisher can make the difference between an easy to clean up burned pan and a kitchen engulfed in flames. Be sure you actually know how to use it, too.
5. Change the batteries in your smoke detector
Chances are you have a smoke detector in the kitchen or in the room adjacent to the kitchen. It’s not enough to have a smoke detector – you need to make sure the smoke detector is operable. He recommends changing your smoke detector batteries every six months.
6. Never throw hot grease in the garbage can
First of all, know the smoke points of your oils and never subject an oil with a low smoke point to high heat cooking – it can catch fire. Second, never throw hot grease in the garbage can. Even if the grease isn’t on fire, it can cause something in the garbage to burn. Instead, let grease cool and dispose of it in an old coffee can.
Note
A smoke point is the temperature at which an oil starts to break down. In addition to being a potential fire hazard, it can be damaging to your health. Fats that have gone past their smoke points are believed to contain large amounts of free radicals, which contribute to cancer
7. Be prepared to put out a fire
Though you don’t want a fire to occur, be prepared in the case it does. The best thing to do if you have a stovetop fire is to put a proper fitting lid over the pan or pot to smother it. Never use water and never pick a burning pan up and put it in the sink – you not only risk spreading the fire to the sink, you risk getting badly burned if the burning ingredients slosh out. Another recommendation from: Don’t use flour to put out a fire – it can burn, too – and it makes a mess.
8. Have a fire escape plan
Keep the fire department telephone number written and/or programmed on your telephone. Sit down with your family and have a fire escape plan that includes getting out of the house and meeting outside in a designated area. It’s important that your family – especially your kids – know what to do before a fire occurs. Practice your plan every month.
9. Stop, drop, roll
In the event you do catch fire, follow the Stop, Drop, and Roll Principal. Don’t run if your clothing catches fire – stop where you are, drop to the ground, and roll. Then get to a hospital to get treatment for your burns.
10. Call the fire department
Don’t ever hesitate to call your local fire department – even if you have successfully put out your fire. It’s better to be safe than sorry. Practice fire prevention measures every time you are in the kitchen, and be sure to pass the measures on to your kids.
Shabbos Tips:
Candles
11. Candle placement
Place candles on a sturdy heat resistant surface away from flammable materials including walls, curtains, cabinets, wooden and plastic tables, tablecloths, etc. Keep surfaces and surrounding areas clear of burned matches and other debris. Light candles out of children’s reach and where they cannot be knocked over.
12. Watch the candles
Never leave Shabbos/ Yom Tov candles unattended or go to sleep while they are burning.
Use extra caution when lighting 24 hour yahrzeit candles, keep on a heat resistant surface away from flammable materials.
Cooking
13. Proper placement
Set appliances (crock pot, hot plat, etc.) back on counter to avoid accidental burns and spills.
Position blech so heat can escape from all sides without heating walls, cabinets, and counters.
Never cover oven vents with aluminum foil. Keep pot handles turned inward and away from the edge of the stove.
14. Safe zone
Designate ovens, stoves and heat containing appliances as a “NO GO ZONE” for children
15. Carrying food
Use extra caution when carrying hot food around children. Don’t ever move pots of boiling hot liquids while uncovered!
16. Use electrical timers
Use electrical timers for your hot plate and other necessary appliances but be sur
e not to overload electrical timers/ outlets and only use timers intended and rated for desired use.