The kitchen is a room many of us spend a lot of time in, whether it’s cooking, eating meals, or just relaxing with a coffee. No matter how careful you are in the kitchen, the more you cook, the more likely it is you’ll experience a cut or a burn at some point. While prevention is key (and we’ve covered that before twice), you need to be prepared to treat a kitchen emergency. We’ll look at two of the most common injuries in the kitchen and what you can do to remedy them.
No matter how often you cook or what kind of kitchen you have, you should have first aid resources in your home. These are often kept together as a home first aid kit so that, should a need for them arise, they’re all in one place and easy to find. The American Red Cross has a long list of recommended supplies for a fully stocked home first aid kit that’s a great guide to follow. Generally, first aid kits need:
With fires being a potential hazard of the kitchen, you should also include a consumer fire extinguisher or baking soda. These can be used to safely put out a fire. (Remember, don’t use water on grease fires!) Keep this kit near the kitchen so that you don’t have to go a far distance or upstairs in case of an emergency.
The possibility of injury shouldn’t scare you away from cooking but, instead, should motivate you to be prepared in case of an emergency. There are a lot of sharp objects in the kitchen such as knives and food processors. Knife skills are essential to meal preparation, cooking, and making you safer in the kitchen, but knicks and cuts can happen, even if you’re careful. If you experience an injury, follow these steps:
There are four factors of a laceration that can determine how severe it is and whether you should go to the emergency room or urgent care. Beyond these, if you notice any extreme physical sensations, like dizziness or nausea, you should call for help.
Length of Time — If you’ve been applying pressure for 20 minutes or more and the cut is still bleeding, you likely need emergency aid. This is a sign that the wound isn’t closing and may be more severe than you originally thought.
Whether you’re baking, roasting, boiling, steaming, or sautéing, heat will be a critical ingredient to your meal. This also creates chances for you to burn yourself accidentally. Ask anyone who’s spent a significant time in the kitchen, they’ll have a story about burning themselves. Just like cuts, don’t let this spook you away from cooking. Knowing how to remedy a burn when they happen can give you a boost of confidence to get into the kitchen.
A minor burn should heal on its own over the next day or so. It can help to keep the area hydrated and covered as it heals.
The first aid we described earlier is what you would do for a first-degree burn. This is the lowest level of a burn. For anything more severe than a first-degree burn, you should seek medical attention immediately. Knowing the difference between the three degrees of burns is important to knowing when it’s an emergency.
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Kitchen emergencies can be scary but knowing basic first aid and being prepared can relieve a lot of this fear. Most importantly, this knowledge will help you realize when your first aid isn’t enough and when to seek emergency aid. Having this understanding can help you minimize risk and be more confident in the kitchen, which can make you a better home cook.