Michigan City Fire Department Reminds Public to Cook with Caution

The Michigan City Fire Department would like to remind the residents of the Michigan City Area to cook with caution and follow these simple rules:

• Never leave the kitchen when cooking.
• Set timers to remind yourself when baking or roasting.
• Use care when removing food from stove tops, ovens and microwaves.
• Keep small children away from stove tops, ovens, and microwaves (at least 3 feet).
• Always supervise children and teens when they are cooking.
• Never leave flammable objects (oven mitts, curtains, food packaging, utensils, etc) near stove tops, ovens, or microwaves.
• Never cook if sleepy or have consumed alcohol.

If you do have a fire while cooking, shut off appliance if able. Use a proper extinguisher (don’t use water on a grease fire). If the fire does not go out, get out! Call 911 from outside of your home. Close doors, but do not lock them as you leave. This will help slow the spread of the fire.

The leading cause of fires in the kitchen is unattended cooking. Most cooking fires in the home involve the stove top.

Scald burns are the leading cause of injury when cooking.

Photos: Michigan City Fire Station #2 welcomes and teaches students from Lakes Hills Elementary all about the equipment and trucks at the department.