Serving Up Fire Safety in the Kitchen

FIREFIGHTER 1: HEY, DIDN'T YOU PAY ATTENTION TO THIS YEAR'S FIRE SAFETY MESSAGE? WE'RE SUPPOSED TO BE SERVING UP FIRE SAFETY IN THE KITCHEN, NOT BURNING IT DOWN! KITCHEN FIRES ARE THE NUMBER ONE CAUSE OF HOME FIRES ACCORDING TO THE NATIONAL FIRE PROTECTION ASSOCIATION. 

FIREFIGHTER 2: WHAT DO YOU MEAN, SIR? 

FIREFIGHTER 1: FIRST OFF, YOU SHOULD PAY ATTENTION WHEN YOU ARE COOKING AND USE A TIMER SO YOU DON'T BECOME DISTRACTED. TWO OUT OF EVERY 5 HOME FIRES START IN THE KITCHEN WITH 31% OF THESE FIRES RESULTING FROM UNATTENDED COOKING. STOVETOPS START COOKING FIRES MORE OFTEN THAN ANY OTHER COOKING APPLIANCE. KEEP A CLOSE EYE ON WHAT YOU FRY! 

FIREFIGHTER 2: GREAT IDEA! I TEND TO BURN THINGS WHEN I'M COOKING AT HOME. MY KIDS ARE ALWAYS IN THE KITCHEN.

FIREFIGHTER 1: YOU NEED TO ESTABLISH A KID-FREE ZONE WHEN YOU'RE COOKING. KEEP KIDS AT LEAST 3 FEET AWAY FROM ANY COOKING SURFACE. TWO THIRDS OF ALL STOVETOP CONTACT BURNS INVOLVE CHILDREN UNDER FIVE. SCALD INJURIES ARE ALSO VERY PREVALENT AMONG KIDS. TRY TO KEEP YOUR PAN HANDLES TURNED IN TO LIMIT THE POSSIBILITIES OF AN ACCIDENT. 

FIREFIGHTER 2: SOUNDS GOOD! ANYTHING ELSE? 

FIREFIGHTER 1: YES! ONLY USE A TOASTER IF IT'S NOT AROUND ANYTHING THAT CAN CATCH ON FIRE! AND MAKE SURE YOU HAVE ENOUGH VENTILATION BY TURNING ON YOUR HOOD. ALSO KEEP YOUR COOKING AREA CLEAN AND CLUTTER FREE SO YOU DON'T START A FIRE. THERE SHOULDN'T BE ANY COMBUSTIBLES WITHIN THREE FEET OF ANY COOKING SURFACE.

FIREFIGHTER 2: HUH. WELL HOW SHOULD I EXTINGUISH A COOKING FIRE? 

FIREFIGHTER 1: YOU SHOULD ALWAYS HAVE A FIRE EXTINGUISHER NEARBY. WHENEVER YOU'RE COOKING ON THE STOVETOPS YOU SHOULD ALWAYS KEEP A LID HANDY SO YOU CAN SMOTHER GREASE FIRES. NEVER PUT WATER ON A GREASE FIRE! MORE THAN HALF OF ALL NON-FATAL COOKING FIRE INJURIES OCCUR WHEN VICTIMS USE IMPROPER FIRE EXTINGUISHMENT TACTICS. 

FIREFIGHTER 2: WELL I JUST WANT TO STAY SAFE SO I'M GONNA COOK THIS STEAK IN THE MICROWAVE.

FIREFIGHTER 1: NEVER PUT TIN FOIL IN A MICROWAVE! 

FIRE CHIEF: WHAT IN THE WORLD IS GOING ON HERE!

FIREFIGHTER 1: NOTHING, CHIEF! JUST GIVING WILSON HERE SOME FIRE SAFETY TIPS. 

FIRE CHIEF: REMEMBER TO PRACTICE THESE FIRE SAFETY TIPS THROUGHOUT THE YEAR AND SPREAD THE WORD TO FRIENDS, FAMILY AND COWORKERS, SO THEY, TOO, CAN HELP USE SERVE UP FIRE SAFETY IN THE KITCHEN.

FIREFIGHTER 2 (OFFSCREEN): WHAT! WHERE'S MY STEAK!?