Cooking Fire Safety
Facts and Figures
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Cooking fires are the number one cause of home fires and home fire injuries.*
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Home fires are more likely to start in the kitchen than any other room in your home.**
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Unattended cooking causes nearly 90 percent of all kitchen fires.*
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Cooking was the cause of 36% of all structure fires in 2002.*
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Every two and a half hours someone is killed in a home fire. In a typical year, 20,000 people are injured in home fires.*
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Having a working smoke alarm reduces one’s chances of dying in a fire by nearly half.*
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Three-fifths (57%) of reported home cooking fire injuries occurred when victims tried to fight the fire themselves.**
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Thanksgiving is the peak day for home cooking fires.**
Sources: U.S. Fire Administration* and the National Fire Protection Association.**
Preparedness Tips
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Never leave cooking food unattended.
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Stay in the kitchen when you are frying, grilling, or broiling food. If you must leave the kitchen for even a short period of time, turn off the stove.
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If you are simmering, baking, boiling, or roasting food, check it regularly, remain in the home while food is cooking, and use a timer to remind yourself that the stove or oven is on.
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Avoid wearing loose clothing or dangling sleeves while cooking.
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Keep kids away from cooking areas by enforcing a "kid-free zone" of three feet around the stove.
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Keep anything that can catch on fire—pot holders, oven mitts, wooden utensils, paper or plastic bags, food packaging, and towels or curtains—away from your stove top and oven or any other appliance in the kitchen that generates heat.
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Clean cooking surfaces on a regular basis to prevent grease buildup.
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Consider purchasing a fire extinguisher to keep in your kitchen. Contact the Sandy Springs fire department to take training on the proper use of extinguishers.
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Always check the kitchen before going to bed or leaving the home to make sure all stoves, ovens, and small appliances are turned off.
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Plug microwave ovens and other cooking appliances directly into an outlet. Never use an extension cord for a cooking appliance, as it can overload the circuit and cause a fire.
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Smoke alarms save lives. Install a smoke alarm near your kitchen, on each level of your home, near sleeping areas, and inside and outside bedrooms if you sleep with doors closed. Use the test button to check it each month. Replace all batteries at least once a year.
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The City of Sandy Springs Fire Ordinance prohibits gas and charcoal grills on balconies constructed of wood or within ten (10) feet of combustible construction (wood) for all apartments.
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Your landlord is not responsible for your belongings (unless it is proven that the landlord is negligent), or the injuries you may cause. Sandy Springs Fire Rescue strongly recommends that each apartment household purchase Renter’s Insurance. Renter’s Insurance can cover burglary, vandalism, and damage from fire and leaking pipes. The average cost of Georgia renters insurance is $215 per year or just over $17 per month that you can get about $20,000 worth of renters coverage.
Source: National Association of Insurance Commissioners
Cooking Fire Safety Video Clips
Short, educational messages for safe home cooking to avoid fires and other burns.
How and When to Fight Cooking Fires
When in doubt, just get out. When you leave, close the door behind you to help contain the fire. Call 9-1-1 after you leave.
If you do try to fight the fire, be sure others are already getting out and you have a clear path to the exit.
Always keep an oven mitt and a lid nearby when you are cooking. If a small grease fire starts in a pan, smother the flames by carefully sliding the lid over the pan (make sure you are wearing the oven mitt). Turn off the burner. Do not move the pan. To keep the fire from restarting, leave the lid on until the pan is completely cool.
In case of an oven fire, turn off the heat and keep the door closed to prevent flames from burning you or your clothing.
If you have a fire in your microwave oven, turn it off immediately and keep the door closed. Never open the door until the fire is completely out. Unplug the appliance if you can safely reach the outlet.
Do not use water. It will cause splashing and spread the fire.
After a fire, both ovens and microwaves should be checked and/or serviced before being used again.
Helpful links
About Operation Project STOP
On August 7, 2009, the Sandy Springs Fire Rescue Department received a $38,000 federal grant to launch a program to encourage fire safety. The grant will help start Project STOP, which is aimed at reducing cooking fires in rental properties. The grant covers information prevention and safety education through visits to seniors and children in the city.
The cornerstone of Project STOP will be anchored in educating at-risk seniors and children on reducing the occurrence of cooking fires and the necessary action steps in lieu of a fire. To schedule a free presentation on Cooking fire Safety by the Sandy Springs Fire Department, contact Captain Mark Ware at 770 730-5600.
The funds will be spent on these two new technologies that were developed to address unattended cooking fires:
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Stove Top Fire STOP is a 12-ounce automatic fire extinguisher that attaches magnetically under the vent hood over a stovetop. When a stovetop fire occurs and the flame reaches the Stove Top Fire Stop, the fire suppressing powder is automatically released onto the fire.
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Safe-T-Element is a technology won’t allow common combustibles to ignite and burn on the stovetop. An electric element on a typical electric range will heat to about 1300-1600 degrees F; common combustibles generally ignite and burn at about 700 F. A temperature control device that prevents the element from reaching these temperatures eliminates all stovetop fires, including cooking oil fires.
The recent multiple-loss tragedies due to unattended cooking in Charlotte and Atlanta remind us that stovetop cooking fires represent the largest cause of home fires. The NFIRS data states that cooking fires were responsible for about 80 deaths, 3,875 injuries and $481,000,000 in property loss in the U.S. in 2002.
Apartment property losses in Sandy Springs caused by cooking fires
Here are a few incidents where a single cooking fire spread to the destruction of a large portion of the building, affecting other tenants. Due to the potential spread of fire from and adjacent lessee’s residence, the Sandy Springs Fire Rescue Department strongly recommends that each household have renter’s insurance.
October 31, 2007, Fire at Winding River Road, Caused by unattended cooking fire. Top floor and contents were nearly totaled (4 apartments), and the lower floor and contents received tremendous water damage.
May 18, 2009, 7600 Roswell Road. Cause undetermined. Unattended cooking was a likely cause. Fire destroyed 8 apartments and caused extensive water damage to an additional 4 apartments.