Because so many people now use electric cooking equipment on holidays, particularly Thanksgiving, there is a greater risk of fire and injury on these days. Cooking-related fires occur three times more frequently on Thanksgiving Day than on any other day of the year.
In 2017, 1,600 cases of home cooking fires occurred on Thanksgiving. It is a 238 percent rise over the daily average. On the same holiday, two years later, the number increased to 1,630, as reported by the fire department. Obviously, there is a stronger need to promote Thanksgiving fire safety precautions, especially when cooking.
Fire Safety Tips in the Kitchen on Thanksgiving
The kitchen takes center stage on Thanksgiving Day and a few days before as families prepare for that all-important Thanksgiving dinner. It is also in this part of the home where a major fire can break out if you don’t watch out. The Thanksgiving fire safety tips listed below should help you avoid this.
1. Watch the Turkey
Turkey fryers make perfect deep-fried turkeys, but the NFPA or the National Fire Protection Association discourages people from using them. This is because turkey fryers can cause serious injuries, severe burns, and property damage, especially if a partially-thawed turkey is placed in them. The hot oil can splatter throughout the kitchen, hitting anyone or igniting a fire. Various safety tips for Thanksgiving suggest that you settle for pre-fried turkeys, which are generally available in various grocery stores and retail food shops.
2. Install Smoke Alarms
If you have working smoke alarms, your chances of surviving a home fire significantly increase. However, these devices should be checked monthly to determine if they still work so you can prevent kitchen fires from damaging your home further. If you need to test your smoke alarms, simply push the ‘test’ button.
3. Use Cooking Timers
These are modern and helpful cooking devices you’ll want to have in your kitchen as part of your Thanksgiving safety plans. They can track cooking times for foods that take hours to cook thoroughly. Meanwhile, another device you should consider is a cooking thermometer if you’re using a fryer. This checks the temperature of your fryer, so you’ll have an idea if it’s about to overheat.
4. Have a Clean Kitchen
Keep anything that could catch fire away from your oven, stove, and other heat-generating appliances when cooking on Thanksgiving. These include towels, food wrappers, wooden utensils, and oven mitts. Also, basic Thanksgiving fire safety recommends clearing the kitchen area by putting away mops, rugs, and other items. This will help you avoid accidents like trips and slips.
5. No Cooking Multi-tasking
Overloaded power strips or wall outlets can cause an electrical fire. It can happen if you manage multiple slow-cook recipes where your blender, stove, mixer, and other plug-in countertop appliances are all working simultaneously. It may also be a good idea to check your electric wires for any sign of damage as part of your Thanksgiving fire safety precautions.
6. Dress Appropriately
Proper clothing is required if you plan to cook in the kitchen on Thanksgiving. Wearing loose clothes or sleeves that hang down is risky because these can come in direct contact with heat sources and catch fire.
7. Keep Children Out
The kitchen can be a dangerous place for little children. Unfortunately, you’ll be busy cooking for Thanksgiving dinner, so your kids could enter the area without you knowing. The best thing you can do is to ensure that the kitchen floor is clean and dry so accidents can be avoided. Also, lighters, forks, knives, and other pointed objects should be stored in the kitchen drawer so your kids will not have any chance to reach and play with them.
8. Pre-clean All Equipment
Before you begin preparing your Thanksgiving menu, you may want to inspect all your cooking equipment to ensure that it is clean and in good working order. Cooking appliances like the oven, skillet, indoor grill, and slow cooker should be deep cleaned. This should help remove any leftover crumbs or grease and ensure that your Thanksgiving food will not be contaminated.
9. Prepare the Extinguisher
The fire extinguisher is a piece of basic firefighting equipment that should be available in every home. At least one fire extinguisher should be kept close to you during your Thanksgiving cooking. Having an extinguisher nearby is a good way of preventing fires and burns in the kitchen.
It is crucial that the fire extinguisher is working and that you know how to use it. If the cooking fire cannot be contained, it’s best to get out of the kitchen as fast as possible. In this regard, it is also crucial to have a clear and unobstructed path to the exit so you can quickly get out when you need to.
Key Takeaway
Thanksgiving Day is about being with the people you love and celebrating the blessings you have received for the past year. However, it is also when many disasters, notably home fires, often strike. To a certain extent, this can dampen the cheerful spirit that Thanksgiving can evoke.
Nevertheless, there are many Thanksgiving safety tips that you can follow to make your celebration disaster-free. These are simple and practical tips that are not difficult to follow. In fact, they should be observed even if it’s not Thanksgiving Day because they serve as your assurance of having a safer home. These safety tips can also help prevent disasters like fire and water damage with consistent practice.
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It’s a sad fate that a fire will suddenly erupt during your Thanksgiving celebration and leave your home severely damaged. Count on Deep Water Emergency Services and Mitigation to be there by your side.
Our professionals that offer top-notch fire damage mitigation in Denver, CO will be with you all the way. We offer quality mitigation services to ensure you’ll return to your normal life quickly. Call now and find out why we are the best in the industry.
