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Thanksgiving Fire Safety

It’s hard to believe but the holidays are almost here; and while the main focus is family, merriment, and a day for home cooking, it’s important to remember that along with the holidays comes the potential for cooking fires. In 2018, U.S. fire departments responded to an estimated 1,630 home cooking fires on Thanksgiving—the peak day for such fires. So let’s go over some Thanksgiving safety tips. 

Thanksgiving is the peak day for home cooking fires due to the fact that so many people are cooking so much food, often with children underfoot. In order to reduce the risk of a Thanksgiving fire try following these fire safety tips and help keep your Thanksgiving safe. 

When preparing for any large family feast, be it Thanksgiving or another day of the year, plan ahead so you’re not trying to rush. Properly timing each aspect of the meal can help make things less frantic and you’ll be less likely to have an accident.

If possible, keep children out of the kitchen. There are a myriad of dangers including hot stoves, food, and liquids.

Make sure you have a properly working fire extinguisher nearby whenever you are cooking so you can quickly address any cooking fires on Thanksgiving or any other day. 

Always stay in the kitchen when you are cooking on the stove. The vast majority of fires occur when stovetops are unattended, and the distractions of the day are a big reason why Thanksgiving is the prime day for such fires. Just because cooking is a leading cause of home fires doesn’t mean your home-cooked meal has to involve one!

If you should have an oven fire, turn off the heat, keep the oven door closed, and call 911. Remember, no dish is worth the safety of your family!

The National Fire Protection Association strongly discourages the use of turkey fryers. A frequent cause of home fires on Thanksgiving, the hot oil can not only cause extreme injuries, but it can also cause fires that are very hard to put out. If you must use one keep the oil level low and keep children far away from the cooker.