How safe is your kitchen?

• Always stay in the kitchen while cooking on the range, especially when frying food.
• Keep things that can burn, such as dishtowels, paper or plastic bags, and curtains at least three feet away from the rangetop.
• Keep grease from building up on the rangetop, toaster oven and in the oven.
• Before cooking, roll up sleeves and use oven mitts. Loose-fitting clothes can touch a hot burner and catch on fire. If clothes do catch fire, "Stop, Drop and Roll" by dropping immediately to the ground and rolling over and over or back and forth to put out the flames. Cool the burned area with cool water and seek medical attention for serious burns.
• Always turn pot handles toward the back of the range to prevent small children from reaching and pulling down a hot pan.
• Keep pans, hot beverages and trays that have just come out of the oven away from the edge of counters, so that children are not able to reach them.
• Hot liquid and food burns often occur when children pull hanging tablecloths or placemats. Use table cloths and decorations with care.
• Food cooked in a microwave can be dangerously hot. Remove the lids or other coverings from microwaved food carefully to prevent steam burns. Always test microwaved food for heat before giving it to children.
• Keep children and pets away from the range when anyone is cooking and keep a close eye on them at all times.
• Electrical outlets in the kitchen should be protected by Ground-Fault Circuit Interrupters (GFCIs). If you don't have them, hire an electrician to install these devices to protect electrical receptacles near water.
• For safer water temperatures to prevent scalds from hot tap water, keep your hot water heater set at 120 degrees Fahrenheit or below.
• Never leave barbecue grills unattended while in use. Keep grills at least 10 feet away from other objects, including the house and any shrubs or bushes. Always stay by the grill when cooking.
• Douse cigarette and cigar butts with water before dumping them in the trash.
• Post emergency numbers in visible areas.