Did  you know that the #1 cause of house fires is cooking.  Most of us cook every day, but do you know what to do if something goes wrong?  Grease can quickly escalate the severity of a cooking fire, so we should all know the best and worst ways to handle a grease fire.

Best Ways to Extinguish a Grease Fire:

• Turn off the burner!!!  Fire will never go out with a heat source still active.
• Always keep a tight fitting lid for all pans/pots readily available because you can quickly put a lid on a small grease fire to smother it and put it out.
• If your grease fire is small another option is pouring baking soda on the fire.  A large amount of baking soda is often needed, so keep this in mind.
• A grease fire that is too big for a cover or baking soda will need a fire extinguisher.  Always have one in your kitchen for emergencies.
• Call 911 if the fire is unable to be controlled.

Worst Things to Do for a Grease Fire:

• Do not use water!  It will cause your oil to explode!
• Do not try to move the pan.  You could easily burn yourself or catch something else on fire.
• Do not use a similar product to baking soda, only baking soda.  Flour and other baking items do not work the same as baking soda.

Prevention is the best way to avoid a dangerous fire, but if there is an emergency it is essential to be prepared. It is also important to have home/renters insurance to protect you in a time of loss, call us for more information. www.mancuso-nowak.com