SullivanCurtisMonroe Offers Restaurants Advice For Preventing Fires

IRVINE, Calif., Aug. 13, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Routine maintenance, the right equipment and employee training can help restaurateurs ensure that their restaurants are not among the nearly 6,000 restaurants a year that are damaged by fire, according to SullivanCurtisMonroe Insurance Services, LLC, which provides professional insurance advice to restaurants.

"A fire may be the quickest way to destroy a restaurant business," according to Craig M. Kwitoski, Vice President, Food Industries Division Manager, SullivanCurtisMonroe. "While the day-to-day activities of running a restaurant are time consuming, the potential consequences of a fire make it worthwhile to set aside time for preventive measures."

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) found that an average of 5,900 restaurant fires take place in the U.S. each year.  The following are steps that can be taken to prevent fire in your restaurant:

Comply with standards.  FEMA found that 59% of restaurant fires originate in the cooking area and are often caused by deep-fat fryers.

Today's deep-fat fryers are highly efficient and use vegetable oils.  Unfortunately, though, they cook at higher temperatures and retain heat longer than older fryers.  In addition, the dry chemical fire suppression systems previously used are not effective with today's fryers.

If your restaurant uses deep fat fryers or produces grease-laden vapors, you'll need a wet chemical fire suppression system that is UL 300 compliant.  UL 300 was developed by Underwriters Laboratories specifically to protect restaurant cooking areas.

To keep oil from overheating and igniting, fryers should shut off automatically when a high temperature is reached.  Fryers should be located at least 16 inches away from gas stoves, char-grills or other open-flame appliances.  If they are closer, an eight-inch stainless steel baffle should be installed between them.

Maintain your fire suppression system.  Fire suppression systems should be serviced every six months.  In addition, regularly check caps on discharge nozzles to ensure that openings are not clogged by grease or debris.

Clean your exhaust duct regularly.  A buildup of grease in the exhaust system can cause a fire.  Clean your exhaust duct with the following frequency:

• Monthly if you use solid fuels, such as wood or charcoal.
• Quarterly if your kitchen operates at a high volume (i.e., if the restaurant does 24-hour cooking, extensive frying, charbroiling or wok cooking).
• Semiannually if your kitchen operates at a moderate volume.
• Annually for low-volume cooking operations, such as churches, day camps or seasonal businesses.

Train your employees.  Show all employees where fire extinguishers are located and how to use them.  Teach them how to manually activate the fire suppression system, and how to react in an emergency, based on your emergency evacuation plan.

Know the basics.  Maintain clear, uncluttered walkways and storage areas.  Use only Type K extinguishers on cooking fires.  Avoid using extension cords or frayed electrical cords.  Keep combustibles away from hot surfaces.  Clean grills and kitchen equipment frequently.  If you re-arrange equipment under the hood, have your fire protection servicing company evaluate whether you need to re-arrange the nozzles on your fire suppression system.

"It's neither time consuming nor expensive to practice fire prevention," according to Kwitoski, "but doing so has the potential to save your restaurant."

ABOUT SULLIVANCURTISMONROE INSURANCE SERVICES, LLC
SullivanCurtisMonroe (SCM) is a full service insurance agency with offices throughout Southern California. With over 80 years of experience and nearly 200 employees, SCM's team is comprised of experts who specialize in providing customized solutions to mid-market and growing companies. SCM is dedicated to providing traditional insurance solutions, but distinguishes itself by providing non-traditional approaches to cost containment, in addition to enhancing its clients' risk management programs for the future. SCM provides an unwavering commitment to satisfying client needs and offers a broad spectrum of quality services. For additional information, visit www.sullivancurtismonroe.com.

CONTACT:

Craig M. Kwitoski | Vice President
Food Industries Division Manager
SullivanCurtisMonroe | 1920 Main Street, Suite 600 | Irvine, CA 92614
Direct Line - 949-852-5717 | Fax - 949-852-9762
http://www.sullivancurtismonroe.com

SOURCE SullivanCurtisMonroe Insurance Services, LLC