The next time you’re racing round your kitchen trying to get lunch or dinner ready, remember this. Cooking fires are the leading cause of fires in the home. And burns are the second leading cause of accidental death.

If you are an older person, especially one with poor vision or arthritis, you need to take extra precautions. You can prevent most burns by thinking ahead and following these tips:

• Don’t wear loose clothing when using the stove. Bathrobes with long, floppy sleeves are especially dangerous.
• Wear clothing you can remove quickly if it catches fire. Dresses and tops that open down the front and have Velcro fasteners rather than buttons are easier to get out of safely.
• If your clothing catches fire, stop, sit down and calmly pat out the fire. Frantic movements can fan the flames and make the injuries worse.
• Cook on an electric rather than a gas stove to avoid the danger of flames. Use plug-in appliances, like tea kettles and small ovens, instead of stove when possible.
• Be careful of food cooked in a microwave oven. It can be cool on the surface but scalding hot in the middle. Containers too, can feel comfortable to be touch, while the food inside may be burning hot.
• To prevent scalding from hot water, have a plumber or electrician lower the temperature setting on the water heater. Most are set at 140 degrees. Water that hot can cause a third degree burn, the worst kind in only in 5 seconds. At 120 degrees, it takes 3 minutes of contact to do the same.

Adults over age 60 get burned more often than younger adults, and their burns tend to be larger as well. With care, you can avoid most of them. But if you do burn yourself, get help immediately.