winter is home fire season in montana. it is a good time to remind families of kitchen fire dangers and the need to keep children at a safe distance when cooking. one way to do this is to enforce a &ldquokidfree zone&rdquo in the kitchen, keeping kids at least three feet away from the stove to help prevent home fires.home fires are the worst disaster threat to families in the united states. they can happen quickly, devastating lives and property. according to the u.s. fire administration, there are as many as 365,000 residential fires reported in the u.s. every year.that&rsquos why it is important children know what to do if a kitchen fire or home fire does start. teach children what smoke alarms sound like and what to do when they hear one. ensure they know two ways to escape from every room of your home, especially the kitchen where many fires ignite, and where to meet up outside. it is also important to practice your fire escape plan. finally, teach children to stop, drop and roll if their clothes should catch on fire.monster guard app. the red cross has a great new app to teach kids about safety issues, including home fire safety. monster guard is the first mobile app created by the american red cross that&39s designed specifically for kids. kids can follow maya, chad, olivia and all the monsters as they teach kids aged 711 about how to prepare for reallife emergencies &ndash at home plus in other environments &ndash in a fun and engaging game. sponsored by disney, this free app is available for download at httpwww.redcross.orgmobileapps.demonstrate cooking safety every day. one of the best ways to teach kids fire safety is by demonstrating safety measures at every opportunity. while cooking, don&rsquot wear loose clothing or dangling sleeves. never leave cooking food unattended &ndash stay in the kitchen when frying, grilling or broiling food. if you must leave the kitchen for even a short period of time, turn off the stove. show your kids how you&bull check food regularly while cooking and remain in the home while cooking.&bull keep anything that can catch fire &ndash pot holders, oven mitts, wooden utensils, paper or plastic bags, food packaging, and towels or curtains &ndash away from the stove, oven or any other appliance in the kitchen that generates heat.&bull clean cooking surfaces on a regular basis to prevent grease buildup.&bull purchase a fire extinguisher to keep in the kitchen. contact the local fire department to take training on the proper use of extinguishers.&bull always check the kitchen before going to bed or leaving the home to make sure all stoves, ovens and small appliances are turned off.&bull install a smoke alarm near the kitchen, on each level of the home, near sleeping areas, and inside and outside bedrooms. use the test button to check it each month. replace all batteries at least once a year.learn more about preventing home fires by visiting httpwww.redcross.orgpreparelocationhomefamilypreventhomefires. 
