What Every Family Should Know About Kitchen Fire Safety

By Author: Josh Campbell
Total Articles: 7
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Believe it or not, kitchen fires are the leading cause of house fire in the United States, responsible for 36% of injuries sustained in the home. According to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), kitchen fires account for 40% of all reported house fires. And during the most recent survey period, kitchen fires were linked to 460 deaths and 4,850 injuries. Ironically, the saddest thing about kitchen fires is also the best thing about them–they are preventable.

Donald Colarusso, President of All Hands Fire Equipment and 24-year veteran firefighter, reminds us of simple, practical steps we can take to ensure that we don’t find ourselves victims of these preventable disasters.

“Care should be used in the kitchen where hazardous equipment is used,” Colarusso says. ”Heat producing devices such as stoves, ovens, toasters, and related equipment can cause injury and damage if not used with caution and awareness.”

Kitchen Fire Safety Tips

If there is a fire in your kitchen, regardless of whether big or small, call 9-1-1 immediately. Many times people hesitate to call because they think ...
... they can handle a smaller fire themselves. Unfortunately, by the time they realize they cannot, it is too late to avoid serious property damage or personal injury.

- Make sure that your smoke and carbon monoxide detectors are in working order.
Do not leave pots and pans on the stove unattended, and when you have finished cooking, make sure that all of the burners are turned off.

When cooking with oil, use extreme caution. If oil catches fire, do not use water to try to extinguish the flames. Throwing water on an oil fire can cause serious personal injury and also cause the fire to spread.

Only use appliances with power cords that are intact and in good working order. If a cord is frayed or melted to expose sections of wire, replace the cord or appliance. Make sure that your kitchen outlets are ground fault interrupter outlets (GFI).

- Keep combustable materials such as dish towels, paper towel, and napkins away from heat producing devices. Also use extra care when cooking with loose fitting clothes.

Not all fires are caused by lack of precaution. Sometimes, a defective appliance malfunctions and results in an unpreventable fire. If someone suffers personal injury or property damage because of a fire with unknown origins, it is a good idea to contact a board certified Houston personal injury attorney who can help determine if a defective product was the cause. If it was, then the manufacturer may be liable to the homeowner for the damages caused.

So how does one go about finding a board certified Houston personal injury attorney? One way is to visit http://www.tbls.org/Directory/Attorney.aspx. The website will give you a list of the attorneys in your area who are board-certified. You are also welcome to call the Neese Law Firm at 713.355.1200 or 888.99.NEESE, and if they cannot help you with your particular legal issue, they will do their best to point you in the right direction and get you to a Houston personal injury attorney who can help you.

Josh Campbell. Houston personal injury attorney - In Houston, a trustworthy personal injury attorney can be hard to find. The Neese Law Firm combines the expertise and compassion needed to represent your rights.