I Survived A House Fire... I Wish My Stuff Had
How to prepare for and survive a devastating event with more than memories
by
Book Cover & Preview Text
CHAPTER Four: The Kitchen
BAD NEWS: most likely place for a fire
Kitchen fires led the pack as the origin of most home fires.
GOOD NEWS: not as deadly as elsewhere
Kitchen fires ranked third, in area of origin, for home fires that resulted in death.
Fire in one- and two-family dwellings most often originates in the
kitchen (32 percent) and more than half (62 percent) of all apartment fires
start in the kitchen! As you have probably guessed, cooking equipment was
the leading source of these kitchen fires.13 And, as you probably further
suspected, human error was the single largest cause. Based upon 2002–05
statistics, it looks like this:
- • 151,500 home structure fires
- • 4,800 injuries
- • 440 deaths
- • $823 million in direct property damage. 14
Kitchen Safety Tips 15
If you have a fire, call the fire department immediately. Get help on its way, then take these actions.
• Never, never, never leave cooking unattended: not while you leave the room for just a second, or run to the corner store—never, never, never. Turn it off until you are there to monitor.
• Use only cooking equipment tested and approved by a recognized testing facility.
• Keep cooking areas and surfaces free of combustibles, like pot holders, towels, rags, drapes, food packaging, oils, etc. Take that lovely, decorative towel off the oven door handle. Don’t store items on the stove or in the oven. Use your cupboards for this, not your heating appliances.
• Make a three foot kid/pet-free zone around all cooking surfaces, indoors and out.
• Always turn pot handles inward so you or a child can’t bump, or unintentionally pull, the pan from the heating surfaces.
Keep a pot holder, oven mitt, and pot lid handy in the event of trouble. If a grease fire starts in a pan, put the mitt on your hand and immediately put the lid on the pot to smother the fire—then turn off the burner. Do not remove the pot from the stove or the lid from the pot until the pan is cool. (more.....)
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About the Book
In May 2002, Michael and Candace Quinn had just returned to their eighty-year-old home from their whirlwind wedding and honeymoon. Exhausted, they fell into bed, wanting to sleep late the next morning. Their home, however, had other ideas. At 3:10 a.m., their world changed forever as they watched a merciless fire rapidly consume their home and belongings.
Candace Quinn relies on her personal experience as a fire victim combined with a firefighter family background in order to educate others on how to prevent a fire, protect personal belongings, and create a plan of action should a home disaster occur. Quinn teaches specifically how to:
- Inventory, document, and store possessions
- Develop a "grab-and-go" list for each room
- Practice a fast escape and arrange a meeting location
- Secure a fire-safe home through vigilant observations
"Ms. Quinn's mix of personal experience with statistically correct data combines for an easy, informative read...one every homeowner or dweller should do. After 28 years as a fire chief, even I learned a couple things. This book is what everyone should know BEFORE [fire] happens to you."
-Chief Eric Madison, Longmeadow, Massachusetts, Fire Department
visit the author's website: www.isurvivedahousefire.com
About the Author
Candace Quinn earned a Master's degree from Northwestern University and a Bachelor's degree from Rockford College. She is a consultant, author, and speaker within the healthcare industry. She resides in Northern Virginia with her husband, Michael, and is a mother of two and grandmother of five.
- I Survived a House Fire...I Wish My Stuff Had
She is donating a portion of all royalties from her sales to the Pioneer Valley Chapter of the American Red Cross and to the National Fire Protection Association.