Cooking Safety

Cooking Safety 

Cooking safety is a key component of fire prevention as there are many apartments on the UC Davis campus. Cooking fires from unattended cooking are the number one cause of home fires and injuries but you can prevent these fires. Students, employees and families have a responsibility to help fire safety on our campus.

How to Prevent Cooking Fire

  • Use a timer to remind you that you are cooking
  • Keep things that can catch fire away from the stovetop (oven mitts, wooden utensils, food packaging, towels, curtains)
  • Don't use the stove or oven if you are sleepy or have consumed alcohol
  • Don't leave your apartment with food cooking in the oven
  • Don't leave the kitchen with food cooking on the stovetop

What to do if there is a Fire

  1. Get out of the apartment and close the door when you leave
  2. Call 911 from outside the apartment

Small Cooking or Grease Fire

You may be able to  smother the flames

  1. Turn off the heat
  2. Slide a lid over the pan
  3. Leave the pan covered and don’t move it until it’s completely cool
DO NOT pour water on a grease fire.

Oven Fire

  1. Close the oven door
  2. Turn off the heat

After a fire, the oven must be inspected before using again. 

Stove or Oven Smoke

  • Open windows to air out the apartment 
  • Do NOT open doors

When doors are opened and smoke fills the hallway, the building’s fire alarm system triggers a building-wide evacuation. 

Using a Fire Extinguisher

Attempting to fight a fire is incredibly dangerous.

Your apartment has a fire extinguisher under the sink. However, fire extinguishers only work on small fires.

If you try to fight the fire, be sure roommates are evacuated and you have a clear escape path. 

Call 911 if you ever use a fire extinguisher in your apartment.