There’s nothing like gathering with your loved ones during Thanksgiving, cooking a large feast, and feeling grateful for what you have. For many, the kitchen is the heart of the home and the center of activity, especially during this holiday. However, it’s important to remember that Thanksgiving is one of the peak days for cooking home fires.
As such, the team at Vollor Law Firm, P.A. wants to provide you with some basic tips that can help you keep yourself, your family, and your home safe during this upcoming holiday season.
First, Some Thanksgiving Fire Statistics
Fires can happen anytime, but they are more likely to occur during the winter months and holidays because there is more cooking being done and electrical equipment being used. Statistics from the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) reveal that:
- Thanksgiving is the peak day for home cooking fires, followed by Christmas Day, the day before Thanksgiving, Easter, and Christmas Eve.
- In 2018, U.S. fire departments responded to about 1,630 home cooking fires on Thanksgiving day.
- Unattended cooking was by far the leading contributing factor in cooking fires and fire-related deaths.
- Cooking caused nearly half of all reported home fires and home fire injuries, and it was the second leading cause of home fire deaths in 2014-2018.
Thanksgiving Cooking Safety Tips
First and foremost, you’ll want to be sure that you have working smoke detectors, at least one on every level of your home. It is also recommended that you have one installed either inside or just outside of the kitchen. Make sure it is placed at least 10 feet away from cooking appliances. Additionally, keep a fire extinguisher within your kitchen at all times.
Now that you have your home prepped with fire prevention tools, you will want to heed the following safety tips while you are whipping up your favorite dishes this Thanksgiving:
- Never leave the kitchen when cooking, frying, grilling, or broiling food.
- When cooking turkey, check it frequently and do not leave the house.
- Use a kitchen or phone timer to remind you when to take food out of the oven or off of a heat source.
- Keep children and pets away from the kitchen while cooking.
- Never use water to extinguish a grease fire, as this can cause it to spread.
- Don’t wear loose clothing when cooking, as it may catch fire while you are cooking.
- Move flammable items away from the stove, including paper towels, oven mitts, or food packaging.
- Keep outdoor fryers off of decks, out of garages, and a safe distance away from your home. Place it on a level surface and never overfill the pot.
- If something does catch fire, try to turn off the heat source. For a stovetop fire, put a lid on top of the pan. If you cannot control the fire, get everyone out of the house and use a fire extinguisher. Have someone outside call 9-1-1 or the local fire department.
With these safety tips in mind, all of us at Vollor Law Firm, P.A. hope that you and your loved ones have a safe, healthy, and memorable Thanksgiving this year!
We understand that accidents can still happen during this time of year. If you or a loved one is injured due to another person’s negligence, contact our Mississippi personal injury attorneys at (662) 269-6188 to learn more about your potential legal options.