COMMENTARY: Fire Department offers sound advice throughout Fire Prevention Week and beyond

  • Published
  • By Staff Sergeant Noel Rivera Saldana
  • 100th Civil Engineer Squadron Fire Department
RAF MILDENHALL, England --  Fire Prevention Week is Oct. 6 to 12 and this year's theme is "Prevent Kitchen Fires." During this time, the 100th Civil Engineer Squadron Fire Department will be educating Team Mildenhall members and local school children on fire safety.

More fires start in the kitchen than in any other part of the home, and firefighters will teach people how to prevent them.

Between 2006 and 2010, fire departments in the U.S. responded to more than 157,000 home structure fires.

These fires caused approximately 380 deaths, 4,920 reported fire injuries, and $794 million in direct property damage. Cooking incidents account for two out of every five reported home fires - 42 percent - in accordance with U.S. Fire Administration's National Fire Incident Reporting System and NFPA's annual fire department experience survey.

The RAF Mildenhall Fire Prevention office recommends the following safety tips to help prevent cooking fires:
  • Stay in the kitchen whenever cooking on the stove top. If you have to leave, make sure all burners are turned off.
  • When using the oven, regularly check on it, use a timer and stay home while cooking.
  • Anything that could catch fire should be kept a minimum of 18 inches away from any hot surfaces.
  • Keep the stovetop, burners and oven clean.
  • Wear short, close-fitting or tightly-rolled sleeves when cooking.
  • Have a "child-free zone" of at least 3 feet around hot or cooking surfaces.
  • Follow manufacturer's instructions
  • Plug cooking appliances directly into an outlet using approved adapters. Never use an extension cord for a cooking appliance.
Inspect cooking appliances for damage before and after each use.

In the event of a cooking fire, immediately get out of the house. When you leave, close the door behind you to help contain the fire.

Call commercial 01638-547999 for housing on RAF Mildenhall, or commercial 01638-527999 for housing on RAF Lakenheath, and 999 for an off-base emergency.

If you do try to fight the fire, be sure others are already getting out and you have a clear path to the exit.

Always keep a lid nearby when you're cooking. If a small grease fire starts in a pan, smother the flames by carefully sliding the lid over the pan. Turn off the burner and don't move the pan. To keep the fire from restarting, leave the lid on until the pan is completely cool.

In case of an oven fire, turn off the heat and keep the door closed. After a fire, the oven should be checked and serviced before any further use.

Any facilities requiring a hood and duct system must conform to NFPA 96, Standard for Ventilation Control and Fire Protection of Commercial Cooking Operations, which requires a qualified provider to maintain the system. The frequency of cleaning and maintenance depends on what type of cooking procedures and quantity. They could be either monthly, quarterly, semi-annually or annually.

Before you begin to cook, always think about fire safety. Ensure all proper precautions have been taken so you avoid being a statistic.

Remember, you can have fun while cooking and be fire-smart at the same time.