And kudos to Cal Fire Riverside for an inspirational Valentine message!
House, Condo and HOA Cooking Fire Safety Tips
About 45 house fires, including condos, are reported every hour in the U.S., and 60 percent of fires are started by cooking equipment. More than 12 million unintentional home / condo cooking fires go unreported causing 640,000 injuries annually. It just takes minutes for a fire to start https://vimeo.com/66861851.
In addition to the destruction of property estimated at $7 billion per year in the U.S. alone, the National Fire Protection Association reports that 43 percent of people who died in cooking fires were asleep at the time. Developers spend millions building beautiful condo communities with many amenities, but do not consider that distraction and forgetfulness can pose significant dangers to the residents who cook, as well as their nearby neighbors.
Further, with the recession and the concurrent reduction in fire fighter staff seen in cities big and small, it would be smart to stop fires before they start. States should require mandatory range top suppression equipment in new buildings or remodels just like sprinklers and earthquake shut-off valves are now required. These units can be retrofitted as well.
In the meantime, there are some safety precautions that everyone can take to prevent cooking fires:
- Never leave cooking unattended. A serious fire can start in just seconds.
- Keep a fire extinguisher in the kitchen and practice using it.
- Have a pot cover close by to put out a cooking fire quickly.
- Wipe up spills from the stove which could catch fire.
- Always wear short or tight-fitting sleeves when you cook.
- Keep towels, pot holders and curtains away from open flames.
- Don’t overfill pans with grease or cooking oil.
- Never use the range or oven to heat your home.
- Double-check the kitchen before you go to bed or leave the house.
- Never leave the kitchen to answer the door, grab the telephone, or change clothes while something is cooking without shutting the gas or electricity off.
- Be aware that it is dangerous to cook while on certain prescription medications or drinking alcohol.
Guardian SSI Puts Out Deadly Cooking Fires in Less than 15 Seconds
Demonstrates Life Saving Guardian Solution at Florida Fire Equipment Distributors Association
Guardian Safety Solutions International Inc. (GSSI), the leader in the development and manufacturing of residential range top fire protection systems, will exhibit at the Florida Fire Equipment Distributors Association (FFEDA) Annual Conference and Trade Show at Orlando World Center Marriott Resort, 8701 World Center Dr., June 26 – 28. FFEDA is a nonprofit trade association comprising fire equipment companies and manufacturers throughout the United States.
Protecting families worldwide since 1985, GSSI’s mission is to develop and distribute quality safety products that provide customers with peace of mind, while protecting lives and property.
“We are excited to demonstrate our ‘Guardian Solution’ range top suppression system at FFEDA,” said Paul Rouse, GSSI’s administrative officer. “This is extremely important as there are 34,000 kitchen fires each day in the U.S. causing more than $7 billion in damage every year.” He added that more than 12 million unintentional home cooking fires go unreported causing 640,000 injuries annually.
GSSI manufactures the Guardian III Model G300B, UL and ULC listed with a fuel shut-off. “The Guardian is designed to detect and extinguish cooking fires and prevent re-ignition in private homes, apartments, senior housing, college campuses, hospitals and other facilities. Even older kitchens can be retrofitted as well,” Rouse said. (See how the Guardian works here).
Once it detects heat at a pre-determined temperature, the Guardian sends a signal to release an extinguishing agent that suppresses the fire. Guardian will also shut off the gas or electric supply to the stove in order to prevent reigniting. The design of the system offers:
• automatic operation
• continuous 24-hour protection
• concealed installation
• easy clean-up
• proven reliability
For more information, contact GSSI at 800-786-2178 or visit www.guardianssi.com, “Like” Guardian on Facebook and follow on Twitter @GuardianSSI.
Media Contact:
Susan Tellem
Tellem Grody PR
310.313.3444 x1
Susan@tellemgrodypr.com
Gilbert Firefighter: How to Prevent Kitchen Fires
Gilbert Arizona firefighter Mike Conner is deputy chief of Gilbert Fire & Rescue Department, Community Services Division. Here is his advice which originally appeared in the Arizona Republic website.
Question: What should I do if I have a cooking fire?
Answer: Cooking fires are the number one cause of house fires and injuries. The main contributor is unattended cooking, which is the cause of nearly 90 percent of these fires.
Fires are more likely to start in the kitchen than in any other room in your home. The National Fire Protection Association reported that in 2011 cooking was involved in an estimated 156,300 structure fires and caused 470 deaths, 5,390 injuries and more than $1 billion in property damage.
The statistic that should be an eye-opener is that more than half of reported non-fatal cooking-fire injuries occurred when people tried to fight the fires themselves. Most of these are from incorrect techniques like using water to fight a grease fire.
Never leave food that is cooking unattended — whether frying, grilling or using the broiler. If you must leave, turn off the appliance. When you’re baking, check it regularly and never leave your home.
Keep your work area clear of anything that can catch on fire: oven mitts, towels, food packaging. Loose clothing can be a danger, wear short and close-fitting sleeves when cooking. Also be aware of loose-fitting aprons that can dangle onto burners.
When using cooking oil, if it starts to boil, remove it from the heat source and let it cool before adding food. If oil catches on fire, wear an oven mitt and slide a lid over the pan or use a baking sheet to cover it. Having a lid out on the counter, even if you’re not using it, is a good idea in case of a fire. A fire extinguisher kept in the kitchen is also a great idea.
If you can’t cover a grease fire or can’t access the fire extinguisher, call 911.
Keeping Aging Fathers Safe for Father’s Day
Thanks in large part to advances in medicine, seniors are living longer and 
are a rapidly growing segment of the U.S. and world population. But health issues are not the only threat to the longevity of the elderly. After medical issues, the leading cause of death and injury for older Americans are accidents and fires. There are ways for seniors or their caretakers to help avoid some accidents, but fires are not only highly preventable, kitchen fires can be effectively stopped in their tracks. For the elderly, particularly aging men, this could mean the difference between life and death.
Paul Rouse, chief administrative officer and fire suppression educator at Dallas-based Guardian Safety Solutions International, a 34-year veteran of the fire industry and technical consultant for Underwriters Laboratory notes:
- Cooking was, by far, the leading cause of all residential building fires and injuries.
- The relative risk of individuals aged 65+ dying in a fire is 2.5 times greater than the general population.
- In 2001, the elderly (over 64 years old) represented 12% of the U.S. population but suffered more than 30% of all fire deaths.
- Older males are 50% more likely to die in fires than women.
- Older American Indians and African Americans are at much greater risk of dying in a fire than the older white population.
About GSSI
Protecting families worldwide since 1985, Guardian Safety Solutions International Inc. is the recognized leader in the development and manufacturing of residential range top fire protection systems. GSSI’s mission is to develop and distribute quality safety products that provide customers with peace of mind, while protecting lives and property. See ICC-ES Listing No PMG-1166 at www.icc-es.org\pmg.
Guardian SSI to Exhibit at FFEDA
Dallas based Guardian Safety Solutions International Inc. (GSSI), the leader in the development and 
manufacturing of residential range top fire protection systems, will exhibit at the Florida Fire Equipment Distributors Association (FFEDA) Annual Conference and Trade Show at Orlando world Center Marriott, June 21 – 23. FFEDA is a non-profit trade association comprising fire equipment companies and manufacturers from throughout the United States.
“We are excited to demonstrate our ‘Guardian Solution,’ or range top suppression system that puts out kitchen fires within seconds,” said Paul Rouse, Guardian SSI’s administrative officer. “Homeowners and facilities such as nursing homes, senior residences, college dorms, and hotels or motels can rest at ease knowing that potential cooking fires stand no chance in a kitchen protected by Guardian.” He added that kitchens can be retrofitted as well.
GSSI manufactures the Guardian III Model G300B, UL and ULC listed with a fuel shut-off. The Guardian is designed to detect and extinguish cooking fires and prevents re-ignition. Once it detects heat at a pre-determined temperature, a signal is sent to release an extinguishing agent that suppresses the fire. Guardian will also shut off the gas or electric supply to the stove in order to prevent reigniting. The design of the system offers:
- automatic operation
- continuous 24-hour protection
- concealed installation
- easy clean-up
- proven reliability
For more information, contact GSSI at 800-786-2178 or visit www.guardianssi.com. “Like” Guardian on Facebook and follow on Twitter @GuardianSSI.
About GSSI
Protecting families worldwide since 1985, Guardian Safety Solutions International Inc. is the recognized leader in the development and manufacturing of residential range top fire protection systems. GSSI’s mission is to develop and distribute quality safety products that provide customers with peace of mind, while protecting lives and property. See ICC-ES Listing No PMG-1166 at www.icc-es.org\pmg.
Media Contact:
Susan Tellem
Tellem Grody PR
310.313.3444 x1
