A Senior Fire Safety Officer is appealing to residents to take some simple steps to reduce the risk of a fire in their home as part of national Home Safety Week (26th September to 2nd October).

Stuart Millington, Senior Fire Safety Manager for North Wales Fire and Rescue Service, said: “Just under half of all the house fires we attend in North Wales are cooking related. Home Safety Week is a perfect opportunity to ask our communities to think safe when they are preparing meals, but this message goes beyond just one week in the year.”

Stuart is issuing the following key pieces of advice for residents to help them stay safe in the kitchen:

• Stay alert. Use your common sense and turn off hobs if you need to leave the kitchen and avoid getting distracted while you cook
• Keep your kitchen safe, keep oven mitts or flammable materials away from the hob, keep cooking appliances clean and keep the vents of your microwave clear so it doesn’t overheat
• If you have a cooking fire, close the door; leave the room and call 999. Never throw water on hot oil as it can create a fireball. Similarly, never use water on any electrical fire. Leave the room, close the door, shout a warning to others and call 999
• Always stay alert when cooking and never leave a hob completely unattended. If you are nipping out of the kitchen while something is in the oven, be fully aware of timing and stay nearby
• Always switch the oven or hob off immediately after you’ve finished using it
• Don’t ever store anything on top of a microwave. This is where the vents are, which ensure that a microwave doesn’t overheat. If these vents are blocked, or even dirty or dusty, a fire is much more likely
• Never cook if you are tired, you have been drinking alcohol or taking medication that might make you drowsy. You are more at risk of leaving ovens and hobs unattended as well as suffering burns
• Test and maintain your smoke alarm regularly.

Stuart added: “We also attend a substantial number of electrical fires each year and would recommend that householders register their electrical appliances. Registering is a wise safety precaution as in a very small number of cases, manufacturers may identify problems with an appliance once the product has been in use for some time and they need to get in contact to get the fault corrected as quickly as possible.

“Registering can also save money through gaining an extended warranty or guarantee period.”

For more information about registering appliances, visit www.registermyappliance.org.uk and for more information regarding staying safe in the home visit www.nwales-fireservice.org.uk.