Fire Safety Advisory
KITCHEN SAFETY!
• Stay in the kitchen–don’t leave cooking food unattended.
• Wear tighter or snug-fitting sleeves. (Loose sleeves are more likely to catch on fire or get caught on pot handles.)
• Take extra precaution when handling boiling water.
• Cook at indicated temperature settings, rather than higher settings.
• Don’t become distracted by attending to children or answering phone calls or doorbells.
• Create a “kid-free zone” of at least three feet around your stove.
• Keep area clear of towels, papers or anything that could burn.
• Turn pot handles inward, facing the wall, to prevent burns caused by overturning or spills.
• Have a pot lid and container of baking soda handy to smother a pan fire. DO NOT USE WATER.
• Treat burns immediately with cool running water and seek medical attention.
CANDLE SAFETY!
• Use sturdy candle-holders, with flame-protective non-combustible (glass or metal) shades or globes.
• Place candles at least four feet away from curtains, draperies, blinds, kitchen cabinets and bedding.
• Place candles out of reach of small children and pets.
• Never leave burning candles unattended.
• Secure hair and clothing, such as sleeves or aprons, from the flame when handling candles.
• Keep candles, matches and lighters, including lit memorial containers and Chanukah menorahs, out of reach of children. When searching for chametz, keep candles away from bedding, tablecloths, clothing or anything that can burn. Use a flashlight for hard-to-reach places.
DEVELOP A FIRE ESCAPE PLAN!
• Know two ways out from each room and agree on a meeting place outside your home so you will know everyone is out safely.
• Practice your home fire escape.
MAKE SURE YOUR SMOKE AND CARBON MONOXIDE ALARMS WORK!
• Twice a year (when you change your clocks), change both your smoke detector and carbon monoxide alarm batteries.
ELECTRONICS AND APPLIANCES!
• Never use an extension cord with large current appliances such as a space heater, air conditioner or refrigerator. Extension cords can cause home fires by overheating due to overloading the outlet.
• Never heat your home with a gas stove or oven.
• Kerosene heaters and propane space heaters are dangerous and illegal in New York City.
• Never use any gas-powered appliance, such as a generator, indoors.
• Never use a charcoal grill or a hibachi indoors.
• Never run a car or truck in a garage or enclosed area. Clear exhaust pipes before starting a car or truck after it snows.
IF THERE IS A FIRE:
• Do not try to fight the fire yourself.
• Get out and stay out. Do not try to gather personal possessions.
• CLOSE THE DOOR ON YOUR WAY OUT.
• If smoke is present, exit as low to the ground as possible and keep your mouth covered.
• CALL 911 ONCE YOU REACH A SAFE LOCATION.
• If any part of you or your clothing catches fire, do not run or try to put out the fire with your hands. Cover your face with your hands and drop to the ground and roll over and over. REMEMBER: STOP, DROP AND ROLL.
Some are reporting that the wiring is in fact defective on some.
One said she threw hers out 2 weeks ago for that reason. There should be a recall!
That children sleep thru the alarm.
But
Woke up when it was a recorded sound of parents voice that went off instead.
ALSO, do not use front burners when using a blech. Only back burners.
When setting up blech: light flame to setting that is not the lowest – flame should be big enough that it’s not vulnerable to being extinguished easily.
Then place blech.
Putting blech down first.
Putting gas on high to get flame to ignite on front burner is the v dangerous route.
Being an unmarried woman I do not cover my hair. Some years back during bedikas chometz my hair caught on fire from the candle. I expect a sheitel would be equally at risk. (Yes, I realize in a two-spouse family it is normally the husband who searches, but not everyone is in a two-spouse family.) No idea whether a beard could catch fire but maybe it would be a good idea to consider using bobby pins to keep it flush to the face and neck.
NEVER USE A TOWEL AS A POTHOLDER. It is not safe because a towel, even a dish towel, is too big, the end or corner can dip into the fire.
The fire department stated that there were no working smoke alarms on the first or second floor in the Sassoon home.
what about yartzeit lights? they burn for a week
This one…
MAKE SURE YOUR SMOKE AND CARBON MONOXIDE ALARMS WORK!
• Twice a year (when you change your clocks), change both your smoke detector and carbon monoxide alarm batteries.
Did not mention anything about a blech or plata.
Very important info to be reminded of!
Very informative! Keep up the great work you do to keep us safe.
thank you for the information
#2 yes, but very important to know. Thanks COL for informing us. in case C’V……..
none of these things would have helped in the case of the Sassoons, so what measures could be taken to prevent such a thing lo alaynu?
Boro Park gave out free smoke detectors and batteries. Any chance we can do this in CH?
can you please talk about blechs, whether on electric or gas stove, hot plates, and crock pots esp now before Pesach?
thank you