Holiday Cooking
According to the United States Fire Administration (USFA), it is estimated that more than 2,000 residential fires occur on Thanksgiving Day across the country, as a result of cooking fires. This year, please take the following precautions to reduce the risk of a fire in your home.
- Never leave cooking food unattended. Unattended cooking fires are a common source of kitchen fires within South Jordan.
- Always heat cooking oil slowly and watch it closely. Cooking oil fires can ignite and spread rapidly. Never use water to attempt to extinguish a cooking oil fire! Instead, cover the pan with a lid or a cookie sheet and turn off the heat.
- Always keep cooking panhandles turned in and have a “kid free zone” of at least 3 feet around the stove or oven.
- Always keep a fire extinguisher available in case of an emergency.
Home Fire Safety
As temperatures drop, it is important to understand the increased risk for residential structure fires. Heating devices, holiday decorations, candles and candle warmers all contribute to an increased risk for fires at home.
- According to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), space heaters remain a leading cause of home heating fires.
- When using candles, remember to keep the area free of other items that can ignite or burn. Do not leave burning candles unattended.
- Remember to check smoke detector batteries to ensure they are working properly. Smoke detectors should be located in every bedroom and on every level within your home.
- In addition to smoke detectors, Carbon Monoxide (CO) detectors should be used in every home. Carbon Monoxide is a colorless, odorless gas that results from gas or other combustibles that do not burn completely. You should have at least one CO detector on each floor of your home, especially in or near bedrooms to alert you at all times of the day. Alarms from CO detectors placed in utility rooms may not be heard, so place them where they will be most effective at notifying you of a problem.
If you have any fire prevention questions or would like additional fire safety information, please contact the South Jordan Fire Department at 801-446-4357.