By Dennis Goebel, Vice President, Liberty Mutual Insurance Company
Fire is one of the most serious dangers in the home, and the kitchen presents the greatest risk. But wherever a fire starts, there are steps you can take to reduce the danger and help keep your family safe.
- Don’t leave the kitchen. If you are in the middle of frying, grilling, or broiling food, do not leave the kitchen. If you’re simmering, baking, roasting, or boiling, check the kitchen regularly, and don’t stray too far. Keep things that can catch fire away from the stove top such as dish towels and aprons, and have a lid handy to smother small grease fires.
- Install smoke alarms. Install in every bedroom, outside the sleeping area, and on every level of the home. Test smoke alarms monthly and replace them after 10 years.
- Smoke safely. If you smoke, go outside. Keep smoking materials out of the reach of children and use a deep, sturdy ashtray away from flammable objects and materials. Don’t discard cigarettes in vegetation that could ignite easily.
- Extinguish candles. Make sure candles are always extinguished when you leave the room or go to bed. Keep them at least a foot from anything that can burn, and never leave children alone with a burning candle. If you use candleholders, make sure they are sturdy and won’t tip easily.
- Maintain safe distances. Keep anything that can burn at least three feet from your furnace or any other heating unit. Maintain a three-foot kid-free zone around open fires and space heaters, and never use your oven to heat your home.
- Practice your escape plan. Make a home escape plan and practice it regularly. Know at least two ways out of every room and specify an outside meeting place. If you have a fire, leave your home immediately, closing doors behind you to contain it.
For more on this topic from our partner, Liberty Mutual, click here.
As a member of the American Academy of Family Physicians, you are also eligible to receive exclusive group savings. For more information and to get a free, no-obligation quote, call 855-440-2153, click here or contact your local agent.
Discounts and savings available where state laws and regulations allow, and may vary by state. To the extent permitted by law, applicants are individually underwritten; not all applicants may qualify.
Coverage underwritten and provided by Liberty Mutual Insurance Company and its affiliates, 175 Berkeley Street, Boston, MA 02116. ©2014 Liberty Mutual Group. All rights reserved.
