[stylist] Resubmit of Christmas exercise - Christmas fire Safety

[Brenda]

Hi List
Since several people said they have not been getting emails, I decided 
to post my submission again.  I apologize for any duplication and for no 
spaces after periods.  Not sure what is going on with that.  This 
submission is an article that will go in my work newsletter.  It does 
not have conversation as it is more of an article than a story.  I 
thought it was an important topic.

Brenda

Christmas Fire Safety

by Brenda Noland

The holiday season is upon us, and church bells and carolers can be 
heard.The TV news reports mall Santas and good Samaritans spreading good 
cheer.If you listen closely, you can also hear the sound of sirens as 
fire trucks head to a house fire.Often it is a Christmas tree or space 
heater that has caused the fire.The fire could also be caused by a 
cooking mishap.

A little over a year ago we were eating at Pizza hut.As we were leaving, 
we saw thick black smoke filling the sky and screaming sirens filled the 
air.We learned later a lady was preparing something on the stove.She 
left the room to help her granddaughter with some homework.When she 
returned to the kitchen, it was engulfed in flames.No human life was 
lost, but they lost the house and one cat.How could this woman be so 
careless?

It is easy to say never leave a skillet unattended, but it can happen.A 
year after the grandmother lost her home, it happened to me.

Two weeks before Thanksgiving this year, I was cooking dinner for my 
husband who would be home within an hour.The plates were on the counter, 
and mayo was spread on his bun.The tomato, lettuce, cheese and bacon 
were lined up ready to put on the chicken sandwiches.Checking the time, 
I started heating the grease for the French fries.As the grease was 
heating up on the stove, I went to the restroom, put hand lotion on my 
hands ...

When I finally remembered the grease was heating, I ran to the kitchen 
to see flames lunging toward the hood above the burner.Placing a lid on 
the fire might extinguish it, but the lids were in the cupboard under 
the burners, and I was afraid to get close enough to retrieve one.The 
fire extinguisher was on a shelf across the room but I didn't know how 
to use it.Baking soda, flour and salt were other options, but I couldn't 
remember which would put the fire out and which would make it worse.I 
decided to put the flaming skillet in the sink and hoped that being away 
from the heat and other flammable objects the fire would subside.If it 
didn't, I could always turn on the water.

Smoke filled the room and the bleating of the smoke detectors pierced my 
ears.The phone rang and as the man from our security company identified 
himself I yelled that I had a kitchen fire and needed help.

Flames started to lick the cupboards around the window.The tension 
curtain rod slid down and the ruffled curtain burst into flames making 
it impossible to reach the faucet.I did not hear any sirens and knew if 
they didn't arrive soon it would be too late.Water is not a good choice 
for putting out a grease fire, but I was not going to let my home burn 
down without a fight.Fumbling in a cupboard I grabbed the biggest pot I 
could find and ran upstairs to the bathroom sink.Returning with a filled 
pot of water, I threw it on the fire and ran upstairs for more 
water.After several trips, the flames disappeared leaving a house filled 
with smoke and still no fire trucks.

The firemen finally arrived, treated my burned hands and sucked the 
smoke out with their industrial fan.They warned me they might have to 
chop wholes in the walls to make sure there was no fire, but that was 
not necessary.Shortly after they left, my husband came home from 
work.The whole thing took maybe 30 minutes.

Along with the arrival of the fireman came the neighbors.The lady next 
door remarked "The fire wasn't because you are almost blind, you were 
just stupid."She proceeded to tell me about how her daughter who is a 
nurse put freshly starched jeans in the oven to dry them.When the jeans 
burst into flames, the daughter tried to carry them outside setting her 
son's pajamas on fire and destroying her kitchen floor.She was able to 
rip the PJ's off her son before he was seriously burned.Three days after 
my fire, another neighbor's nephew lost his home as a result of his son 
lighting something on fire in the garage.Thinking he had put the fire 
out, the little boy threw the charred paper in the trash and went in the 
house.It wasn't long before the family dog alerted everyone to the 
smoke, and they escaped before the house burned to the ground.Another 
neighbor reminded me of a Christmas fire a few years ago where the 
family cat had knocked over a grow light.The family lost everything 
shortly before Christmas.

When the team from the fire restoration company saw my kitchen, they 
told me I was very lucky.God was surely looking out for me.I did have 
minor burns on my hands, and we had to stay in a hotel for 10 days while 
the smoke damage was repaired, but we were home before Thanksgiving.

This Christmas season, take a few minutes to think about fire safety.You 
may be the most careful person in the world, but fires can still 
happen.Pay attention and don't leave a room with something on the stove. 
Consider how easily pets can knock over lights and candles.Never leave 
matches or igniters where a child can find them.Finally, wrap up two 
fire extinguishers and put them under the tree.Practice putting out a 
controlled fire with one and put the other one where it is easily 
reachable in case it is needed to put out a fire.