Cooking fires are the number one cause of home fires and home injuries. The leading cause of fires in the kitchen is unattended cooking.

What you should know about home cooking safety:

1. Be on alert! If you are sleepy or have consumed alcohol, don’t use the stove or stove-top.
2. Stay in the kitchen while you are frying, grilling, boiling, or broiling food.
3. If you are simmering, baking, or roasting food, check it regularly, remain in the kitchen while food is cooking.
4. Keep anything that can catch fire — oven mitts, wooden utensils, food packaging, towels or curtains — away from your stove-top.

If you have a cooking fire

1. Just get out! When you leave, close the door behind you to help contain the fire.
2. Call 9-1-1 after you leave.
3. Keep a lid nearby when you’re cooking to smother small grease fires. Smother the fire by sliding the lid over the pan and turn off the stove-top. Leave the pan covered until it is completely cooled.
4. For an oven fire, turn off the heat and keep the door closed.