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From the Chief
The Virginia Pilot Currents has graciously
provided space for Fire Chief Don Horton to address current
issues related to fire safety with Portsmouth citizens.
Links to the Chief's column are listed below with thanks to, and
permission of, the Virginia Pilot.
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11 July 2010
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Summer is in full swing, now and everyone is busy with
holiday activities. While we enjoy the season with all
its pleasant distractions, I want to remind you of the
number one cause of fires this time of year.
How often has the doorbell rung or a child interrupted
you while you were cooking, causing you to forget about
the food you left sizzling on the stove – until smoke
filled the house?
If this sounds familiar, I hope you’ll read on, because
you’re running the risk of having a dangerous fire. As
chief of the Portsmouth Fire, Rescue & Emergency Services,
I often talk to people about the ways they can stay safe in
their homes. Too often, we have that talk after they’ve
suffered a damaging fire.
It’s my hope that those of you reading this article won’t
have to learn the hard way. If I could give just one fire
warning, I’d say “stand by your pan!” Why? Because cooking
is the leading cause of home fires, according to the nonprofit
National Fire Protection Association (NFPA). Latest statistics
from NFPA indicate that one out of every three home fires started
in the kitchen and more than 140,000 fires a year were related to
cooking.
And guess why most of these fires occur? If you said it’s leaving
cooking unattended, you got it right. Often when we’re called to a
cooking-related fire, the residents tell us they only left the kitchen
for a few minutes. Sadly, that’s all it takes to go from routine to
disaster. The bottom line is that there’s really no safe period of time
for the cook to step away from a hot stove. A few key points to remember:
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Never leave cooking food on the stovetop unattended,
and keep a close eye on food cooking inside the oven.
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Keep cooking areas clean and clear of combustibles
(e.g. potholders, towels, rags, drapes and food packaging).
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Keep children away from cooking areas by enforcing a
“kid-free zone” of three feet around the stove. Keep pets from underfoot
so you do not trip while cooking.
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Never use a wet oven mitt, as it presents a scald danger
if the moisture in the mitt is heated.
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Always keep a potholder, oven mitt and lid handy. If a small
fire starts in a pan on the stove, put on an oven mitt and smother the flames by
carefully sliding the lid over the pan. Turn off the burner. Don’t remove the lid
until it is completely cool. Never pour water on a grease fire and never discharge
a fire extinguisher onto a pan fire, as it can spray or shoot burning grease around
the kitchen, actually spreading the fire.
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If there is an oven fire, turn off the
heat and keep the door closed to prevent flames from burning
you and your clothing.
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If there is a microwave fire, keep the door closed and unplug the
microwave. Call the fire department and make sure to have the oven serviced before you
use it again. Food cooked in a microwave can be dangerously hot. Remove the lids or
other coverings from microwaved food carefully to prevent steam burns.
A cooking fire can quickly turn deadly. I have seen too
many homes destroyed and people killed or injured by fires
that could have been easily avoided. Please heed these simple
safety rules. We firefighters would like to be in your kitchen,
but only when you invite us for dinner!
Thanks for your attention and let’s all enjoy our summer safely.
Don J. Horton
Fire Chief |
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