Cooking Safety

According to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), Thanksgiving is the peak day for home cooking fires, with more than three times the daily average for such incidents. It’s a day full of lots of cooking and lots of changes to routine, which can be a recipe for distraction and fire safety risks.

There are things you can do to make sure your Thanksgiving celebrations stay fire safe this holiday season, and we’re breaking it down for you in this blog.

• Stay in the kitchen while cooking on the stove and stay in the house while cooking in the oven.

• Do not leave your home while the turkey is cooking and be sure to check on it frequently.

• Make sure all flammable items – such as towels, curtains, oven mitts and more – are away from the stove or oven while you’re cooking.

• Wear tight-fitting clothing without loose sleeves or excess fabric while cooking, to help prevent your clothes catching on fire.

• Keep a fire extinguisher on hand in case of emergency and make sure you know how to use it.

If a fire does break out while you’re cooking, know what to do for various situations:

• If an oven fire starts, keep the oven door shut. Do not open it, because air will fuel the fire. Let the fire burn itself out, and if it doesn’t do so quickly, leave the house and call 911.

• If grease starts to boil in a pan, turn the burner off. If you can, cover the pot with a metal lid – not glass, as it can shatter. You can also slide a metal cookie sheet over the pan.

• If a grease fire starts and it is very small, you can try to put it out with baking soda – and a lot of it. If that doesn’t work, you can try a Class B fire extinguisher if you have one on hand. If the fire does not extinguish quickly, leave the house and call 911. Do not use water or flour to put out a grease fire, as both can make it worse.

The NFPA and other fire safety authorities strongly advise against using a turkey fryer. However, if you do choose to use one, make sure that you use it outside, far away – at least 10 feet – from any buildings, and use it on a flat, even surface.

Keep in mind:

• An overfilled fryer pot will cause oil to spill out when you put the turkey in. Test the amount of oil first by submerging your turkey in water in the pot, and use the water as a guide for how much oil to use before drying thoroughly and filling with oil.

• If your turkey is not fully thawed, it will cause hot oil to splatter and can be very dangerous.

• Without a thermostat, a fryer can overheat oil easily to the point of starting a fire.

• The lid, sides and handles can get dangerously hot – always use protective oven mitts and keep children and pets far away.

When in doubt, know that an oven is the far safer choice for cooking your Thanksgiving turkey.

Protecting Kids & Pets

If you’re entertaining this Thanksgiving, you might have more children or pets in your home than usual, and it’s crucial that you keep them safe. Kids often want to help in the kitchen, but adults must make sure they do so safely.

Some rules to help guide your choices with pets and kids include:

• Keep children and pets at least three feet away from the stove and oven when in use.

• Make sure hot food or liquids like gravy, coffee or casseroles are on counters out of reach of children, so they cannot be accidentally knocked over or pulled down.

• Keep all knives far back on the counters and out of reach of children.

• Keep matches and lighters in high, locked cabinets away from children.

• Never leave children alone in the kitchen while cooking, or alone with any lit candles.

• Make sure cords don’t dangle over countertops where a child could reach them or pull on them.

• Keep pets outside if possible, or gate off the kitchen to keep them away from hot food and cooking.

• Keep the floor clear of toys and other objects in the kitchen so you don’t trip.

If children want to help with the preparations, have them do tasks that are safe for them, such as tossing the salad greens or helping to whip up some whipped cream for dessert. Leave the hot cooking and chopping to adults.

Other Precautions

One of the best things you can do to make sure you’re safe in case of fire is make sure that all of your smoke detectors work. You should test your smoke detectors at least once a month anyway, but be sure to give them a test before the big Thanksgiving festivities to be sure they’ll work if you need them.

If you’ll be lighting a fire in your fireplace on the holiday, make sure you’re aware of fireplace safety as well. Important notes include making sure children and pets stay at least three feet away, keeping all flammable objects away from the fireplace, and making sure your chimney is clean and ashes from previous fires have been cleared out before use.

You can also chat with all your guests about a fire safety plan once they arrive. Simply let them know what exit doors exist from the rooms where you’re celebrating, and where to meet up away from the home if an emergency does occur.

Thanksgiving is a time to celebrate with loved ones and think back on everything we have to be grateful for. This Thanksgiving, don’t let fire safety ruin your holiday. By taking the precautions above, you can do your part to keep everyone safe and to help pull off your dinner without a hitch.

Have a wonderful and safe Thanksgiving, everyone.