Chapter 9 Safety in the Kitchen 145 Copyright Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc. Some fires are not easily prevented. For instance, faulty electrical work can be diffi- cult to detect and could result in a fire inside a wall. What to Do If Fire Occurs Consider the following scenarios. A sauté pan of oil gets too hot and suddenly catches fire. The fire spreads to another pan. A broiler full of steaks dripping fat suddenly bursts into flames. The flames shoot out the back of the broiler and into the ventilation system. When should you call the fire depart- ment? When should you reach for a fire extinguisher? When should you evacuate? The first step in dealing with any fire is to quickly assess the severity of the fire. If the fire is spreading rapidly or you feel that your safety is in question, evacuate immediately. Once your safety is assured, call 9-1-1. Often, fire departments are called too late. It takes time for the fire department to arrive on the scene, and by then a fire may be out of control. Most areas in the United States have a 9-1-1 emergency phone number. Find out whether 9-1-1 or another emergency phone number applies to your area and post it in a visible location. If a fire spreads beyond its initial source, calling 9-1-1 would be prudent, or wise. In the earlier example, if the contents of a sauté pan catch fire, the fire department need not be called. Simply covering the pan will probably put out the fire. But, if the fire spreads to a greasy wall, the fire department should be called immediately. Even if the fire is brought under control by foodservice staff, the fire department should still inspect the damage. Sometimes fires restart or may be smoldering behind walls or in ventilation ducts. Fire Extinguishers By law, all commercial kitchens must have fire extinguishers. A fire extinguisher is a pressurized canister filled with a substance that puts out fires. Every food- service operation should have several fire extinguishers placed at strategic points in Draz-Koetke/Goodheart-Willcox Publisher 9-10 Fire safety is critical in the foodservice industry to avoid injury and loss. Animation