Fire prevention has become second nature to the surgeons, anesthesia providers and staff at our ENT center, where many procedures require the use of supplemental oxygen and electrocautery or a laser in the nasopharynx. To a certain extent, this is a good thing. But the delicate balance between routine procedure and surgical fire can tip disaster's way in an instant, and I don't want their deftness to become complacency. So I've instituted five strategies that keep us mindful that the ingredients for a surgical fire are ever present.