Home Page Haverhill News

Tomorrow is Shrove Tuesday, or Pancake Day, and Suffolk Fire and Rescue Service is offering timely advice about avoiding pan fires.

Fat and chip pan fires cause the most number of injuries per fire in peoples’ homes.

Interim deputy chief fire officer Gary Phillips said: “Pancake Day is great fun. It’s a time for the whole family to get together in the kitchen and cook up some great creations.

“Suffolk Fire and Rescue Service hopes everyone across the county enjoys the time but we warn you just to be careful with hot oil.

"Make sure you give the pan your full attention at all times in order to prevent things getting out of control.”

Here are some useful pointers when using a frying pan or cooking with hot oil:-

* Never leave the pan unattended when the heat is switched on.

* Do NOT move the pan if it is on fire.

* Never put the food in the pan if the oil begins to give off smoke.

If the pan does catch fire:-

* Don’t take any risks.

* Turn off the heat if it is safe to do so.

* Never throw water over it.

* Don’t tackle the fire yourself.

* GET OUT, STAY OUT, CALL 999.

Interim DCFO Phillips also added; “If events do get out of hand and a fire breaks out, a working smoke alarm will greatly increase your chances of everyone in the house escaping unharmed. Have a plan and follow it. Know exactly which way you will leave the house, and know where you will go.”

Suffolk County Council also have some advice about using Pancake Day to reduce waste.

It encourages residents to indulge themselves on Shrove Tuesday and use up all the food they won’t be eating over the next few weeks during Lent.

Families can save up to £50 a month by planning meals, knowing the correct places to store food and serving the correct portions. The Love Food Hate Waste website can advise on food waste reduction, as well as providing recipes for using up leftovers.

If you still can’t manage to eat up all the leftovers, Cllr Lisa Chambers, portfolio holder for waste, has an idea on how to help the environment.

She said: “Up to one third of all household waste could be composted at home, making a useful soil improver, rather than being sent to landfill.”

Egg shells and lemon peel for example can be composted and even the cardboard egg box itself can be torn up and added to the compost, providing a rich source of carbon and fibre.

It is important to include these ‘brown’ ingredients as well as the traditional ‘greens’ like grass cuttings, in order to achieve the right environment for the composting process to get to work.

Whilst you’re busy making the pancakes or composting Suffolk County Council also has a way of keeping the children entertained with a pancake competition which is open to all pupils at Suffolk schools.

All they need to do is visit www.suffolkrecycling.org.uk and click on ‘schools’ and select ‘competitions’ from the drop down menu to download a pancake drawing sheet. There is also a selection of pancake recipes to try out on the website.