Kitchen Fire Safety

Watch What You Heat

Each year, in the US, fire departments respond to over 170,000 cooking fires.
These fires cause 550 deaths, 4,820 injuries, and more than $1 billion in property damage in the US.
20% of all fires in Oshkosh, in 2019, were caused by cooking.
Cooking fires are one of the few causes of fire that are on the rise nation-wide.
Most cooking fires are due to unattended cooking.

NEVER leave anything unattended on the stove.
Keep cooking appliances clean. Built up grease easily catches fire.
Keep flammable objects off of the stove top. Pot holders, oven mitts, and wooden spoons are often the cause of stove fires.
Turn all pot and pan handles in to avoid spills and scalds.
Enforce a Kid Free Zone 3 feet around the stove.
Wear short or tight-fitting sleeves. Loose clothing can catch fire.
Don't store spices in the back or above the stove.
Stay alert. Never cook if you have been drinking alcohol or if you are drowsy.

CALL 9-1-1 IMMEDIATELY
Slide a pan lid over the flames to smother it.
Turn off the burner.
NEVER put water on a grease fire.
NEVER carry a hot or burning pan outside.
Keep the oven door shut and turn off the heat to smother an oven fire.
Keep a fire extinguisher in the kitchen and know how to use it.
Run cool water over a burn. If the skin is blistered or charred go to the emergency room.