Fire safety in the kitchen Published April 21, 2010 By 21st Civil Engineer Squadron Fire Prevention Office PETERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Colo. -- There has been several cooking related incidents recently in the base dormitories -- fires that could have been prevented, officials said. According to the latest National Fire Protection Association research, cooking is the leading cause of home fires. One out of three home fires begin in the kitchen, more than any other place in the home. Cooking fires also are the leading cause of home fire-related injuries. "Most often when we respond to these fires the occupants tell us they only left the room for a minute," said Burke Ferrin, 21st Civil Engineer Squadron assistant chief for prevention. "Sadly, that's all it takes for a dangerous fire to start." From January 2009 to present, there have been 67 responses to the dorms. Of those 67 responses, 34 percent were cooking related incidents. Investigators found that 78 percent of the cooking related incidents were due to inexperience in proper cooking procedures, including over-cooking food or cooking items too fast. The other 22 percent were unattended cooking issues. Safety tips that firefighters and safety advocates agree on: · Stay in the kitchen when you are frying, grilling, broiling, or boiling food. · If you must leave the room, even for a short period of time, turn off the stove. · When you are simmering, baking, or roasting food, check it regularly, stay in the home, and use a timer to remind you. · If you have young children, use the stove' back burners whenever possible. Keep children and pets at least three feet away from the stove. · When you cook, wear clothing with tight-fitting sleeves. · Keep potholders, oven mitts, wooden utensils, paper and plastic bags, towels, and anything else that can burn, away from your stovetop. · Clean up food and grease from burners and stovetops. · The lower drawer on many new stoves is not for storage, but is actually part of the oven. Be familiar with your appliance. There is help for Airmen, especially those living in the dorms, said Julie Anderson, Health and Wellness Center dietitian. The HAWC offers many cooking classes, including one that addresses safe cooking. Staff Sgt. Misty Horton, HAWC dietary therapist, provides monthly First Term Airman Center briefings and she recently spoke to Airmen at two dorm meetings about "Safe and Healthy Cooking in the Dorms." She gave Airmen information about the HAWC's "Cooking in The Dorms" demonstration in April. Unfortunately, none of the dorm residents signed up for the class, Sergeant Horton said. This month, the Aragon dining facility, where more than 300 Peterson and Schriever Airmen living in dorms can eat three meals a day, closed for renovation. The dining facility is expected to be closed for four months while the work is completed. That means Airmen who live in the dorms are on their own for meals. The HAWC's program is designed to educate dorm residents on the new world of cooking and help them reduce the cooking incidents in the dormitories. The HAWC offers classes that discuss cooking techniques and different health topics every month. Classes are from 6 to 7:30 p.m. the first Thursday of the month. The HAWC cooking demonstrations are a hands-on tool to educate Airmen on ways to develop healthy eating habits and safe cooking precautions. For information or to sign up, call the HAWC at 556-4292 or use the HAWC Scheduler if member has CAC access.