For most, the kitchen is the heart of the home, and this is especially true during the holidays. From testing family recipes to decorating cakes and cookies, everyone enjoys being part of the preparations. So keeping fire safety top of mind in the kitchen during this joyous but hectic time is important, especially when there’s a lot of activity at home. As you start preparing your home for the holidays and organizing your family feast, remember that by following a few simple safety tips, you can keep yourself and your family safer from fire.
Thanksgiving by the numbers
- The peak days for home cooking fires are Thanksgiving, Christmas Day and the day before Thanksgiving.
- In 2018, nearly four times as many home cooking fires occurred on Thanksgiving as on a typical day.
- In 2018, U.S. fire departments responded to an estimated 1,630 home cooking fires on Thanksgiving, the peak day for such fires.
- Unattended cooking was by far the leading contributing factor in cooking fires and fire deaths.
- From 2014-2018, cooking equipment was involved in almost half (49%) of all reported home fires and was the second leading cause of home fire deaths.
Source: NFPA's Fire Analysis & Research Division
Safety tips
- 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.
- Keep the floor clear so you don’t 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 — up high in a locked cabinet.
- Never leave children alone in room with a lit candle.
- Make sure your smoke alarms are working. Test them by pushing the test button.
Learn more here - http://www.nfpa.org/cooking