Kitchen Fires Spark Fire Safety Reminder

Gwinnett County firefighters worked three minor kitchen fires Tuesday. Here are ways to avoid it happening to you.

Dacula, GABy SCOTT BERNARDE (Patch Staff)November 10, 2015The Gwinnett County fire department was preaching safety around cooking appliances after three minor kitchen fires were reported Tuesday.All were reported just a few hours apart in the Norcross, Buford and Lawrenceville areas.Here’s a synopsis of the incidents from Gwinnett Fire Capt. Tommy Rutledge.APARTMENT FIREFirefighters responded at 9:40 a.m., to a report of an apartment fire on Buford Highway, NW in Norcross. Crews found a small fire on the stove that was smoldering on arrival. Firefighters quickly completed extinguishment and worked to remove light smoke from the apartment. The fire caused minor damage to the stovetop and a pot of grease that was left unattended. The cause of the fire is accidental. There were no injuries reported and no damage to the structure. The scene was turned over to apartment management and maintenance personnel.HOUSE FIREFirefighters responded at 10:52 a.m., to a report of a house fire on Springbluff Lane, NE in Buford. Crews found a small fire in the oven that was smoldering on arrival. The fire was contained to debris in the oven and was quickly extinguished by firefighters. The fire caused minor damage to the appliance and sent light smoke throughout the house. The fire appears accidental and was sparked by debris that were ignited during the preheating mode. There were no injuries reported and no damage to the structure.HOUSE FIREFirefighters responded at 1:59 p.m., to a report of a house fire on Hearth Place, NW in Lawrenceville. Crews found light smoke showing on arrival and a small fire in the kitchen. The fire appears accidental and was sparked by food left unattended on the stove. The occupant was briefly distracted by a child and left the room for only a few seconds. She returned to find the kitchen filling with smoke and the pot ablaze. The flames were quickly extinguished by first arriving firefighters and smoke was cleared from the structure. There was minor damage to the stovetop and cabinets and light smoke throughout the house. There were no injuries reported and no major damage to the structure.“These types of incidents are an important reminder of the fact that proper cooking practices and kitchen fire safety is paramount,” said Rutledge, who added cooking is among the leading causes of residential fires in Gwinnett County and across the country.Important safety tips to remember when cooking at home (From Gwinnett Fire):

• If you are simmering, baking, roasting or boiling food, remember to check it regularly. Use a timer to remind you that something is on the stove or in the oven. Never leave the house when cooking.
• Turn the stove burners off if you have to leave the kitchen or the house for any period of time or when going to sleep.
• Keep anything that could catch on fire, like - oven mitts, wooden utensils, food packaging, towels or curtains away from the stovetop, oven or any other heat producing appliance in the kitchen.
• Never wear loose clothing or dangling sleeves while cooking. Remember to Stop, Drop and Roll, if your clothes catch fire. Cool a burn injury with water until the pain goes away
• Never attempt to cook if you are extremely tired (sleepy) or if you’ve consumed too many alcoholic beverages.
• Keep children and pets a safe distance away from the oven or stove when cooking. Create a “kids-free zone” around cooking appliances that produce heat or have an open flame. Turn pot handles-in (or to the side), so they can’t be easily tipped-over or grabbed by a small child.
• Use a lid cover or portable fire extinguisher to douse a small fire on the stovetop. Never put water on a grease fire; and never attempt to remove a pan of hot grease from the stove. Splattering grease can cause a serious burn injury or may even cause the fire to spread.

Home fire safety tips (From Gwinnett Fire):

• Install and maintain working smoke alarms and carbon monoxide alarms in the home. Place smoke alarms on every level of the home and in each of the bedrooms.
• Develop a home fire escape plan and practice fire drills with the entire family.
• Get Out-Stay Out! Call 9-1-1 from outside the burning building. Never attempt to go back inside during a fire.

For additional information on safe cooking practices or home fire safety, please contact the Gwinnett Fire-Community Risk Reduction Division at 678.518.4845 or e-mail fireprograms@gwinnettcounty.com. The department offers free home safety surveys and smoke alarm checks as part of its community outreach programs.Dacula PatchImage courtesy of State Farm Fire Safety

The A-B-C’s of A-L-E (Additional Living Expenses)

The Additional Living Expenses (ALE) Coverage within your policy is designed to indemnify you for the amount spent above your normal expenditures as a result of living away from the residence premises rendered uninhabitable by a covered loss. The time allowed for reimbursement of these expenses is usually found in the policy and only for the reasonable time needed to repair or replace the home. The standard of living for the alternate living arrangements should be essentially the same as those prior to the occurrence. It is extremely important to save all receipts for ALE.Examples of Additional Living Expenses include:Housing – Normal expenses for housing would continue even if you were required to live elsewhere. Mortgage payments and taxes would continue. If your family had to live in a hotel for a week, the cost of the hotel room would be an increase above the normal amount you would pay for living in the dwelling. Be sure to save all receipts.Utilities – Electric bill expenses may increase due to the use of drying or mitigation equipment. Fuel bills, phone bills, and water bills may also increase. You should contact your utility companies to obtain the bills for the same months last year to compare them to your new bills.Food/Meals – If you and your family are required to eat away from home, the only expense to be considered would be the difference between the amount actually spent while away from home and the amount normally spent at home. Let’s assume that you and your family had to eat in a restaurant for a week because your home was uninhabitable. If the reasonable cost for eating out was $125 and your family normally spends $50 then you would be entitled to be compensated for the necessary increase, which is $75. Save all restaurant receipts.Transportation – If you are required to drive further than normal, the additional expense would be a compensable item. It is usually suggested that a per-mile allowance, that is, the current IRS allowance, is an accurate reflection of your actual cost of transportation when driving your vehicle the additional miles. You will need to keep a daily log of the number of extra miles you incur. The extra miles will be compared to what you would normally drive and the difference will be compensable.Miscellaneous – Such items as laundry, garbage disposal, lawn service, etc. may have to be considered when making the ALE calculations. Save all invoices and receipts.Written by: Kerry C. Crawford, BenchMark Public Adjusting GroupSend us an email or call us at 770-886-2260 to request a complimentary review of your claim.