Follow these tips to protect you and your family when in the kitchen. Whether stirring up a quick dinner or creating a masterpiece four-course meal, here's a recipe for safer cooking you need to use daily.

• Keep an eye on your cooking an stay in the kitchen. Unattended cooking is the #1 cause of cooking fires.

• Wear short or close-fitting sleeves. Loose clothing can catch fire.

• Watch children closely. When old enough, teach children to cook safely.

• Clean cooking surfaces to prevent food and grease build-up.

• Keep curtains, towels and pot holders away from hot surfaces and store solvents and flammable cleaner away from heat sources.  Never keep gasoline in the house.

• Turn pan handles inward to prevent food spills

• Call the FIRE DEPARTMENT immediately. In many cases, dialing 911 will give you Emergency Services.

• Slide a pan lid over flames to smother a grease or oil fire, then turn off the heat and leave the lid in place until the pan cools. Never carry the pan outside.

• Extinguish other food fires with baking soda. Never use water or flour on cooking fires.

• Keep the oven door shut and turn off the heat to smother an oven or broiler fire.

• Keep a fire extinguisher in the kitchen. Make sure you have the right type and training to use it properly.

• Keep a working smoke detector in your home and test it monthly.

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