10 Tips to Stay Safe While Prepping Your Thanksgiving Feast
According to the National Fire Protection Association, Thanksgiving is the leading day for home cooking fires. Between 2013 – 2015 Thanksgiving Day home fires caused an estimated 10 deaths, 50 injuries and $28 million in property loss.
With all the holiday madness this time of year, it’s easy to forget basic safety tips. While these safety tips aren’t new, the holidays are a great time to get refreshed on kitchen safety. Here are ten ways to keep your house safe while prepping your Thanksgiving feast.
- Cooks should avoid wearing loose clothing or dangling sleeves while preparing food.
- Never leave your food unattended while frying or grilling. Use a timer and routinely check whatever you’re cooking.
- Keep kids away from the cooking area. Enforce a “kid-free zone” and make them stay at least three feet away from the stove.
- If frying or deep-frying, keep the fryer outside, away from walls, and free from moisture.
- Ensure that pot holders and food wrappers are a safe distance – at least 3 feet – from warm surfaces (i.e. the stove.) Position pot handles so that they face inward
- Never douse a grease fire with water. Turn off the burner, smother the flames with a lid or douse with baking soda or a fire extinguisher. Clean cooking surfaces on a regular basis to prevent grease buildup.
- Keep a fire extinguisher handy in the kitchen, and know how to cause it. For fire extinguisher information, watch this video presented by the Fire Equipment Manufacturer’s Association:
- Always check the kitchen before going to bed or leaving the home to make sure all stoves, ovens, and small appliances are turned off.
- Install a smoke alarm near the kitchen, on each level of the home, near sleeping areas, and inside and outside bedrooms. Use the test button to check it each month. Replace all batteries at least once a year.
- Once your guests leave, walk around the home and ensure candles and fireplaces are extinguished, unnecessary appliances are turned off, and no potential hazards are in reach of kids and pets.
By following these safety tips you will keep the Thanksgiving meal safe and festive for you and your family.
Happy Thanksgiving from the Pack!