Preventing cooking fires and reducing building fire alarms

In Seattle, unattended cooking causes more fires than any other source. Over a third of all fires in multi-residential buildings started on the stove. The most common materials ignited are grease, oils and flammable items such as plastic bags and paper products left on or near the stove. Safety precautions for residents Stay in the kitchen when you are frying, boiling, grilling or broiling food. Turn off the burner if you leave the kitchen for any reason. If you are simmering, baking or roasting food, check it regularly and stay in the home. Use a timer to remind you that you are cooking. Keep the stove and oven clean. Do not allow grease to build up. Keep anything that can catch fire – oven mitts, wooden utensils, food packaging, towels, curtains – away from your stovetop. Keep children and pets away from the stove while cooking. Keep loose-fitting clothing away from hot burners. Never use the stove or oven to heat your home. Use all cooking equipment according to manufacturer's directions. Don't alter stovetops, burners or backsplashes. Never pour water on a cooking pan grease fire. Always keep a lid nearby when you are cooking. If a small grease fire starts in a pan, smother the flames by sliding the lid over the pan. Turn off the burner. Do not move the pan. To keep the fire from restarting, leave the lid on until the pan has cooled. Avoid setting off the building fire alarm. If smoke from cooking is inside the apartment, do not open the door to the hallway to remove smoke. Instead, turn on the stove fan and open a window to clear the air. Fan the smoke alarm in the unit with a dish towel to stop the alarm from sounding. Check out our cooking safety videos in many languages.

Conducting fire drills

Summer is a great time of year to hold building fire drills for building staff and residents.

Fire drills should replicate as closely as possible the activity expected in an actual emergency and include a review of the plan. It is recommended that you notify residents that the building fire alarms will be sounded for the fire drill and invite them to participate.

High rise buildings have unique features with specific fire drill requirements. Learn more by viewing CAM 5963.

The following suggestions are provided to assist with the planning of staff fire drills:

• Prior to any drill, staff should be familiar with the building emergency plan and the details of their responsibilities. Encourage staff to discuss their concerns regarding the evacuation procedures.
• The drill for your building should include sounding the fire alarm. There is no need to notify the fire department. We do not monitor or participate in fire drills.
• Important: If you plan to set off the building fire alarm for the fire drill, notify the fire alarm company that monitors your alarm system before setting off the alarm and right after you conduct the drill. This will avoid a 911 emergency response from the fire department.
• Keep a fire drill logbook to record fire drill activity. Records should include the date and time of each drill, the name of the person conducting the drill and other information pertinent to the drill, such as:
  • Identity of the person conducting the drill
  • Date and time of the drill
  • Notification method used
  • Staff members on duty and participating
  • Number of occupants participating
  • Special conditions simulated
  • Problems encountered and corrective actions taken
  • Time required to evacuate

Alternate fire evacuation

For those residents unable to use stairs to evacuate, they should practice sheltering in place during the fire drill and follow these guidelines:

• Keep the door to the apartment closed. A closed door is a barrier to smoke.
• Use towels or clothing to block openings around doors or vents where smoke might enter.
• Place a signal in the window. The signal can be anything that will call attention to your location.
• It is advisable to keep windows and balcony sliders closed. Smoke from the outside of the building can enter through open windows. Breaking windows may put you at greater risk of smoke entering from the outside and will hamper rescue efforts below.

Holding a brief meeting after the drill with residents and staff is a good way to assess how the drill went and to answer resident questions about safe evacuation options.