11 Tips To Keep Your Family & Home Safe From Fire This Thanksgiving

It’s Thanksgiving. You have family members zipping in and out of the kitchen, clutters of food and dishware on every counter and table, and there may even be some alcohol involved. With all the chaos, accidents are bound to happen, and it just so happens that the number one day each year for fires started by cooking equipment happens to be – you guessed it – Thanksgiving.

We care about YOUR safety, and to help keep you, your family, and your home safe and sound this season, here are a few safety tips you can follow:

• Before you start cooking, make sure all of your fire alarms are working. Always test them and replace any old batteries.
• Never leave the kitchen unattended when cooking anything on the stovetop.
• Never leave your house if the turkey is in the oven, and always check on it frequently.
• Try to keep children out of the kitchen as much as possible to avoid accidents.
• At the very least, make sure to keep the kids stay away from the stove and/or oven, both of which will be very hot and dangerous for children to be near
• The steam and/or splash from vegetables, gravy or coffee can cause serious burns, so make sure children stay away from hot food, especially if it is on a table within their reach.
• Always keep the kitchen floor clear so that you don’t trip over any unexpected personal items.
• Keep knives away from children. (And guests who have been drinking, for that matter!)
• Watch for loose electric cords or tangle of wires! An electric cord dangling off the counter could be very attractive to a child, and one pull could bring something very hot or very heavy down on them.
• Keep matches and lighters in a safe place.
• Never leave kids alone in a room with a lit candle and never leave them alone in the kitchen with food cooking!