The Sabbath and Jewish holidays are a time of family gatherings, celebrated with special foods, customs and candle rituals. However, without safety precautions, these religious customs may increase the risk for fires, fire-related injuries and carbon monoxide injuries – or worse!

To prevent potential tragedy, make sure your home has working smoke detectors as well as functioning carbon monoxide detectors. And test them monthly!

Candles in the Home

Candles should be constantly attended and placed in a sturdy candle holder. If a candle must burn continuously, be sure it is enclosed in a glass container and placed in a sink, on a metal tray, or in a deep basin filled with water. Do not use an open flame near any flammable material. Never leave candles unattended or out of your sight.

Cooking Safety Information

According to NFPA, Cooking caused an average of 158,400 reported home fires per year (44 % of all reported home fires in the US). These fires resulted in 470 civilian deaths (18 % of all home fire deaths) and 4150 civilian injuries (42 % of all home fire injuries) annually during 2017-2021.

Preparing the Kitchen and Cooking

The majority of fires and burns can be prevented during food preparation by taking the following safety precautions:

• Stay in the kitchen and do not leave cooking food unattended.
• Wear tight or snug-fitting sleeves. (Loose sleeves are more likely to catch on fire or get caught on pot handles.)
• Take extra precaution when handling boiling water or hot liquids.
• Don’t become distracted by attending to children, answering phone calls or doorbells.
• Create a “kid-free zone” of at least three feet around your stove.
• Keep the area clear of towels, papers or anything that could burn.
• Turn pot handles inward, facing the wall to prevent spills and avoid burns.
• Have a pot lid handy to cover a pan fire. Do not use water!
• Treat burns immediately with cool running water and seek medical attention. Call 911.

In addition, the Teaneck Fire Department recommends:

• Members of the Orthodox community should consider alternatives for heating food, such as warming plates and crock pots.
• Consider purchasing an electric stove, which does not give off carbon monoxide.
• Although we advise against leaving a burner on, for families that do, we recommend leaving two windows open on opposite ends of the house to create cross ventilation.
• Practice your home fire-escape plan.

For additional questions, please contact the Teaneck Fire Prevention Bureau at 201-808-8080 Ext. 5206.

Joseph Berchtold
Chief of Department
Teaneck Fire Department