Fire Prevention Week 2023: October 8 -14, 2023 “Cooking Safety Starts With You”

This year’s theme focuses on cooking safety. Cooking brings family and friends together, provides an outlet for creativity, and can be relaxing. But did you know that cooking fires are the number one cause of home fires and injuries?

By following a few safety tips, you can prevent these fires:

• Be alert! If you are sleepy or have consumed alcohol, don’t use the stove or stovetop.
• Always stay in the kitchen while frying, boiling, grilling, or broiling food. If you leave the kitchen for even a short time, turn off the stove.
• If you are simmering, baking, or roasting food, check it regularly, remain in the home while the food is cooking, and use a timer to remind you that you are cooking.
• Keep anything that can catch fire — oven mitts, wooden utensils, food packaging, towels, or curtains — away from your stovetop.
• Have a “safety zone” of at least 3 feet around the stove and areas where hot food or drink is prepared.

If you have a small cooking fire and decide to fight the fire:

• On the stovetop, smother the flames by sliding a lid over the pan and turning off the burner. Leave the pan covered until it is completely cooled.
• For an oven fire, turn off the oven and keep the door closed.

If you doubt about fighting a small fire, just get out! However, when you leave, close the door behind you to help contain the fire. Always call Public Safety at 212-305-7979 and 911 in an emergency.

Please watch the CUIMC Cooking Safety Video at https://vimeo.com/833408371.

For more information about cooking safety, please email cumcfiresafety@columbia.edu