Did you know that cooking is the #1 cause of home fires and home fire injuries? 

The steps below can help keep you safe in the kitchen:

STAY focused on the food

Unattended cooking is the leading cause of fires in the kitchen.

• Stay in the kitchen when you are frying, boiling, grilling or broiling food.  Turn off the burner if you leave the kitchen - even for a short period of time.
• If you are simmering, baking or roasting food, check it regularly and stay in the home.
• Use a timer to remind you that you are cooking, or carry around a wooden spoon as a reminder.
• If you are sleepy, have consumed alcohol or have taken medicine that makes you drowsy, don't cook.  Place a delivery order!

KEEP cooking areas clear

Clear away clutter and give cooking appliances space to lessen the chance of a kitchen fire.

• Keep anything that can catch fire-oven mitts, wooden utensils, food wrappers, towels, curtains-away from the stovetop.
• Loose clothing can hang down onto stove burners and catch fire. Wear short, close-fitting or tightly rolled sleeves when cooking.
• Have a "kid-free zone" of at least 3 feet around the stove and areas where hot food or drink is prepared or carried.
• Keep pets off cooking surfaces and nearby countertops.
• Clean up food and grease from burners and the stovetop.

PUT a lid on it

You can take simple steps to keep a small kitchen fire from getting out of control.

• Always keep a lid nearby when cooking. If a small grease fire starts, slide the lid over the pan and turn off the burner. Leave the pan covered until it's cool.
• Never discharge a portable fire extinguisher into a grease fire because it will spread the fire.
• In case of an oven fire, turn off the heat and keep the door closed until the oven is cool. After the fire, have the oven serviced before using it again.
• If you have a microwave oven fire, turn the appliance off immediately and keep the oven door closed. Have the microwave oven serviced before using it again.

PREVENT scalds and burns

Hot liquids and steam from the stove or oven can cause devasting injuries.

• Turn pot handles away from the stove's edge.
• Keep hot foods and liquids away from table and counter edges.
• Keep your face away from the oven door when checking or removing food so that the heat or steam does not cause burns.
• Open microwaved food slowly, away from your face. Let food cool before eating.
• Keep appliance cords coiled and away from counter edges.