THANKSGIVING SAFETY TIPS

First and foremost, as we all begin to prepare for the holidays, let’s take a moment to pause and give thanks. Thanks for our health, thanks for our families and friends and for celebrating special times with our loved ones.

As we spend more time in the kitchen with a lot of activity around meal preparations, remember to follow some simple safety tips so you can enjoy time with your loved ones and keep yourself and your family safe from fire.

According to NFPA, Thanksgiving is the leading day of the year for home fires involving cooking equipment. Take this opportunity to create activities that keep kids out of the kitchen – board games, puzzles, books can keep them busy and out of harm’s way. Here are some safety tips to think about leading up to this family holiday.

• Stay in the kitchen when you are cooking on the stovetop so you can keep an eye on the food.
• Stay in the home when cooking your turkey and check on it frequently.
• Keep children away from the stove. The stove will be hot, and kids should stay 3 feet away.
• Make sure kids stay away from hot food and liquids. The steam or splash from vegetables, gravy, or coffee could cause serious burns.
• If you are considering using a turkey fryer, please do some additional research. The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) discourages the use of these types of fryers for many reasons. Most of which, is the substantial amount of cooking oil used at high temperatures, pose a significant danger during the cooking process. Please refer to NFPA for more information.
• Keep the floor clear so you do not trip over kids, toys, pocketbooks, or bags.
• Keep knives out of the reach of children.
• Be sure electric cords from an electric knife, coffee maker, plate warmer or mixer are not dangling off the counter within easy reach of a child.
• Keep matches and utility lighters out of the reach of children.
• Never leave children alone in a room with a lit candle.
• Test your smoke alarms and make sure all are working properly.