Reading Skills for Today's Adults

Cooking is one of the leading causes of fire in the home. Most kitchen fires start because someone started heating fat or oil and forgot about it. The oil gets hotter and hotter. It then smokes and may burst into flames.

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If the grease fire is small, you may be able to stop it with a handful of baking soda. Do not use baking powder. Baking powder contains flour and/or starch that can spread the fire.

Never use water on a grease fire. It can cause grease to splatter and the fire to spread. Keep the pan or pot lid nearby. You can smother a small grease fire by placing the lid on the pan.

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Do you have a fire extinguisher in your home? Do you know where it is? Do you know how to use it? A larger grease fire will require one. A person that has a fire extinguisher and knows how to use it can stop a grease fire. Keep a fire extinguisher in or near the kitchen.
 

If you have to leave the stove for any reason, turn off the heat. If you need to answer the phone, turn off the heat. If you need to check on the kids, turn off the heat. If you need to answer the door, turn off the heat.