According to a recent story in the Wall Street Journal, an estimated five Americans are treated in an ER every hour for burns, scalds and related injuries from hot or poorly installed stoves. Important: most of the injuries could have been prevented with proper education about child safety gates, proper cooking clothing and installation information. A study conducted over 21 years showed that almost one million stove injuries were recorded with more than half in women.
More Cooking Fires on Thanksgiving Than Any Other Day
More Cooking Fires Reported on Thanksgiving than Any Other Day
Guardian Safety Solutions International warns families that Thanksgiving can be hazardous to their health. About 45 house fires are reported every hour in the U.S., and 60 percent of apartment fires are started by cooking equipment. Sadly, children and the elderly make up the greatest national percentage of injury and death due to household fires.
“Thanksgiving is a special day with relatives, but answering the door to welcome guests can distract even the most careful cook,” said Paul Rouse, GSSI administrative officer. “Alcohol during Thanksgiving celebrations can also add to cooking inattentiveness. Next thing you know, a fire starts consuming the stove, curtains and other flammable material in the kitchen.” The popularity of turkey deep fryers has added another hazard to the celebration. The cooking oil temperature is extremely hot. Rouse said that they should be used as far from the house as possible. “It’s important to note that not one turkey fryer has been certified as safe by Underwriters Laboratories,” Rouse added. You can read more here.
Fire Safety for the Holidays
TV station WAFF 48 in Alabama reports on how the holidays are one of the most dangerous times of year for household fires.
According to the report, “Cooking fires lead to more destruction than any other fires that we deal with,” said Fire Prevention Officer Dan Wilkerson. “One of the main reasons is because it’s the most common way that a fire could start in your home. Cooking fires are our number one cause of fires in the nation. Not only in Huntsville, across the nation.”
The U.S. Fire Administration statistics point to an estimated 1,900 residential building fires reported to fire departments on Thanksgiving Day, causing an estimated five deaths, 25 injuries and $28 million in property loss.
Wilkerson said that when cooking make sure you have a timer on to remind you of your meal and keep the handles of your pots and pans out of the reach of children. He also keep a fire extinguisher handy just in case.
Unattended Cooking Fire Causes Fatality
ABC News in North Carolina reporters that an apartment building resident was 
heating grease and fell asleep on the couch. The grease then ignited causing smoke alarms to go off in an adjacent apartment. Neighbors called 911 but it was too late to save the life of the resident who was taken to Wilson Medical Center and pronounced dead. Many lives are lost each year from unattended cooking fires. Never leave the room when you are cooking. If you must, turn off the stove. GSSI’s range top suppression system would have saved this man’s life. Read more here.
GuardianSSI Exhibiting at OAFED Conference
GuardianSSI Exhibiting at OAFED Conference
Dallas – October 23, 2013 – Guardian Safety Solutions International Inc. (GSSI), the leader in the development and manufacturing of residential range top fire protection systems, is exhibiting at the Oklahoma Association of Fire Equipment Dealers, Inc. (OAFED) Conference, October 25 – 26, at Will Rogers Park, Oklahoma City, OK. OAFED’s guiding mission is to improve standards and ensure professionalism.
“We are delighted to demonstrate our ‘Guardian Solution’ range top suppression system at NAFED,” said Paul Rouse, GSSI’s administrative officer. “This is extremely important as there are 34,000 kitchen fires each day 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 http://bit.ly/WF5Nas).
Once it detects heat at a pre-determined temperature, the Guardian sends a signal to release an extinguishing agent that suppresses the fire. The 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
About GSSI
Protecting families worldwide since 1985, Guardian Safety Solutions International Inc. is the recognized leader in the development and manufacturing of residentialrange 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.
Massachusetts Cooking Fire Claims Life of 71 Year Old
A very sad story came out of Rockland, MA this week. Mary Gammon, age 71 tragically lost her life. This accident happened as a result of her cooking, and it ended with her death. State Fire Marshal Stephen D. Coan said that, “elderly people are at greater risk for injuries from cooking fires.”
Cooking fire…
It is an important reminder of how safety must be of the utmost concern when we are cooking. It is especially sad that this story happened so soon after Fire Prevention Week. For the full story please read this article in the Patriot Ledger.
-GSSI Staff
Fire Prevention Week Wrap Up
As a nice wrap up to Fire Prevention Week with an emphasis on preventing kitchen fires, The Nap Time Reviewer posted a wonderful blog article by our own Paul Rouse about the dangers of hotel and motel fires. Every year there are almost 4,000 hotel and motel fires reported to U.S. fire departments, resulting in $76 million in property loss, according to the U.S. Fire Administration. Almost 50 percent of these fires are started by cooking. Since Paul started in the fire prevention business years ago, many positive changes have been made to make hotel and motel kitchens safer, but fires still do happen.
Here on the blog are five tips travelers can take to protect themselves.
Cooking Fire Displaces Texas Family of Four
News from FOX44 – Temple, Texas…
A Monday evening cooking fire has left a family of four homeless. Temple Fire & Rescue responded the fire Monday, in the 2400 Block of Valley Forge Avenue. The first Engine Company arrived to find moderate smoke coming from a downstairs apartment of a four unit apartment complex. Firefighters confirmed everyone was out of the apartment as they began an interior attack. Due to the potential for fire spreading to the other three apartment units and as a precaution, the incident commander requested a second alarm assignment sending two additional Engine companies and one Rescue Company on the call.
Fire investigation determined the fire was unintentional and started from unattended cooking. One of the adults cooking became distracted and forgot to turn off the stove prior to leaving the apartment. The kitchen sustained heavy fire damage with the living room, bedrooms and bathroom receiving smoke and heat damage. A dollar loss has not been calculated. The apartment was protected by working smoke alarms. There were no injuries. The American Red Cross is working with the two adults and two children to assist with their immediate needs
Oklahoma apartment fire caused by cooking…
A frightening story recently came out of South Tulsa, Oklahoma. A neighbor in an apartment building accidentally set fire to the entire complex while cooking.
Cooking fire…
A portion of the displaced residents can come back next week after professional crews deal with the fire damage and restore power. Several other groups of residents will not be as lucky in that they have declared their apartments completely destructed. To read the full story make sure you visit the KJRH website.
