Practicing fire safety this holiday season

MISHAWAKA, Ind. -- Cooking is one of the biggest fire hazards this time of the year, from frying to baking. The Mishawaka Fire Department says the secret to staying safe is never leaving the stove unattended.

Derron Hess, the Mishawaka Fire Department Captain, suggests that when frying food, you should keep a lid to cover the pan nearby and be aware of never using water to put out a grease fire and instead to keep a fire extinguisher nearby.

“The number one cause for residential fires in America is actually cooking. It's unattended cooking, so what happens when people get busy, they put something on the stovetop and something in the oven and then they walk away. With today’s electronics people have their phones with them and they have their earbuds in and they kind of forget about the food that they are cooking,” said Hess.

Cooking on a stovetop requires a lot of attention. You must keep flammables like gloves, mitts, and kitchen towels away from your heat source. Preparing a meal can get busy, but it is important that while you're cooking you make sure that all pot handles should stay turned away from your body to prevent spills.

While many cooks introduce their kids to the kitchen during the holidays, they should make fire safety their first lesson by setting boundaries around the stove while supervising them closely. When teaching them, ensure that you emphasize that they must keep combustibles away from the stove to keep your kitchen and yourself safe from any kitchen disaster.

Hess also suggests for another layer of security you should hire a licensed professional to come in to inspect your furnaces, ensure your burners are working correctly, and double check your chimney is clear of debris.

“It’s time to make sure that you have a COD protector in your home. That's a good thing to have as well but also, it’s a great time to go around your house as well to check all your working smoke detectors. You should have them on each floor, first floor and second floor as well as in your basement,” said Hess.

Completing this process thoroughly will help you avoid dangerous carbon monoxide build up. A quick check can save your life.

Keep a pack of spare batteries handy so that as soon as your smoke detectors die the batteries can be replaced right away.