Did you know that making a few changes in your cooking habits can help keep you and your family safer from burns? The Augusta Fire Department wants you to know some of the things you can do to be safer when cooking.

Cooking with Care to Prevent Burns

• Keep a 3-foot (1 meter) "kid-free" zone around the cooking area. It’s best to keep children out of the kitchen while hot food is being prepared.
• Turn pot handles away from the stove’s edge.
• Use the stove’s back burners to ensure hot pots and pans are out of reach for young children.
• When cooking, wear short, close-fitting or tightly rolled sleeves. In the event your clothes do catch fire, stop, drop, and roll! When the fire is out, cool the burn right away.
• Use dry oven mitts or potholders when removing hot food from ovens, microwaves, or stovetops.
• Replace old or worn oven mitts frequently to prevent burns.
• Appliance cords should be coiled and kept away from counter edges.
• Don’t place hot foods or liquids near the edge of a table or countertop.
• Be mindful that even foods cooked in the microwave present a risk of burns. Open microwaved food slowly, and hold it away from your face. This will reduce your risk of being burned by hot steam escaping from a container.
• Because microwave ovens unevenly distribute heat, never warm a baby bottle in a microwave oven. Doing so may result in the heated liquid scalding your baby’s mouth or throat.

If You Are Burned:

Burns require immediate attention. First, put the affected area in cool water for three to five minutes. Then, cover with a clean, dry cloth. If the burn is bigger than your fist, or if you have questions about caring for the injury, seek medical attention right away.