THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT 
              Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: Sunday, June 4, 1995                   TAG: 9506020239
SECTION: SUFFOLK SUN              PAGE: 07   EDITION: FINAL 
SOURCE: STAFF STORY 
                                             LENGTH: Short :   49 lines

A FEW TIPS ON HOW TO AVOID HOME COOKING FIRES

During the last two months, an alarming trend has developed, and the Fire Prevention Bureau of the Suffolk Fire Department would like to help you and your family avoid a cooking fire in your home.

The Suffolk Fire Department has responded to 12 home cooking fires recently, resulting in two residents being transported to emergency rooms for treatment of burns and smoke inhalation. Property damage totaled $23,500.

Here are some helpful tips on how to prevent cooking fires and how to fight them if they start:

Pay attention to your cooking. Don't overheat grease. Watch for grease overflows that can start fires. If you must leave the stove to answer the phone or doorbell, turn down the heat or off.

If your children help you cook, make them aware of cooking hazards. Turn skillet handles, especially hot ones, toward the center of the stove to prevent overturning.

Don't leave towels or napkins on or near the stove. Don't wear frilly garments, especially loose, floppy sleeves, while cooking.

Keep a Class ABC fire extinguisher in or near the kitchen. An ABC rating indicates the fire extinguisher can be used on fires involving grease, paper towels, electrical appliances and other materials commonly found in the kitchen.

If the grease fire is small, you may be able to put it out with baking soda. Do not use baking powder, which contains flour or starch and could spread the fire. Never use water on a grease fire!

Always have the pot lid handy to smother a small grease fire.

Don't try to move or carry a pan in which there is a grease fire. Even though moving the pan is a common reaction when a grease fire is discovered, it often results in burns to the carrier and additional fire damage.

If it is a large grease fire, don't try to fight it. Call the fire department from a neighbor's house. Be sure to tell the dispatcher your name, address, telephone number and what type of emergency you have. Stay outside of your residence and wait for the fire department. Never return to the inside of the home during a fire to retrieve personal possessions or valuables. Most people who re-enter a burning structure succumb to the toxic smoke.

Follow these simple safety tips to prevent a cooking fire from happening in your home. by CNB