Thanksgiving Safety Tips

Information may not be reliable

Facts about Thanksgiving Fires

• As mentioned, most home cooking fires occur on Thanksgiving. It is followed by Christmas Day, Christmas Eve, and the day before Thanksgiving.
• An estimated 1, 600 home cooking fires on Thanksgiving were responded to by U.S. fire departments in 2017.
• The leading cause of cooking fires and related deaths was unattended cooking.

How to Prevent Fires on Thanksgiving Day

• Stay in the kitchen. In order to focus on cooking and not leave any food or appliance unattended, it is advised to remain in the kitchen. Keep an eye on any food being cooked on a stove and remain inside the home when cooking turkey, checking on it frequently. Stay in the kitchen until all the cooking is finished, and if there is a need to leave it, turn off the stove or appliances used.
• Use a timer. This is to keep track of cooking times, especially for foods that take a long time to cook. It is advised to place timers in different rooms to hear them over loud parties or music.
• Wear proper clothing. Avoid wearing loose or billowy clothing and dangling sleeves. These can cause spills, get stained, or even catch fire when they come into contact with an open flame.
• Avoid cooking when sleepy or when drinking alcohol.
• Keep combustible materials away from any heat source. Items such as oven mitts and pot holders could catch fire if placed too close to a source of heat.
• Keep children away. Children might want to take part in the food preparations, but it would be safer if they are kept away from the action. Keep knives, lighters, matches, and other potentially dangerous items out of reach. Establish a three-foot distance between the children and the stove and do not leave them alone in rooms with lighted candles.
• Manage power cords. Ensure that electrical cords are not dangling off the counter and easily reached by a child. Also, plug appliances directly to a wall socket instead of using an extension cord.
• Keep surroundings clean. Keep the floor clean to minimize tripping over things.
• Clean surfaces and turn off equipment. Grease can accumulate throughout the day, so make sure to wipe all surfaces down to prevent a fire risk. At the end of the day, all cooking equipment must be turned off and unplugged.

Other Fire Safety Tips

• Inspect fire alarms before Thanksgiving Day. Make sure that smoke alarms and detectors are working properly. Test them by pushing the test button; get this done before Thanksgiving. Replace batteries as needed.
• Keep a fire extinguisher nearby. When a fire does break out in the kitchen or anywhere in the house, having a fire extinguisher nearby to douse the flames quickly can save you from significant loss and destruction. However, fire extinguishers are only effective for fires that can be contained. If a fire goes out of control, exit the building and alert the fire department immediately.

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