Thanksgiving Kitchen Safety Tips

November 16, 2023||inPersonal Insurance|cooking safety, fire safety, homeowners insurance, personal insurance, thanksgiving

Thanksgiving Day is a fun holiday that many of us look forward to all year. As you plan and prepare for your Thanksgiving feast, keep safety a focus.  With heightened kitchen activity and other home entertainment, you don’t want to get distracted and have your holiday go up in smoke.

The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) says Thanksgiving Day is the leading day for home cooking fires. In 2021, there were 1,160 fires on Thanksgiving, a 297% increase over the daily average.

Thanksgiving Kitchen Safety Tips
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Kitchen Safety Tips

  • Always stay in the kitchen when you are frying, grilling, or broiling food to check it regularly. If you have to leave the kitchen for a short time, turn off the stove.
  • Stay in the home when cooking your turkey. Use a timer to remind you that you are cooking.
  • Keep anything that can catch fire, such as oven mitts, wooden utensils, food packaging, towels, or curtains, away from the stovetop.
  • Keep children away from the stove. The stove will be hot, and kids should stay 3 feet away.
  • Keep knives out of the reach of children.
  • Make sure kids stay away from hot food and liquids. Steam or splashes from vegetables, gravy, or coffee could cause severe burns.
  • Ensure that the 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 a room with a lit candle.
  • Keep the floor clear so you don’t trip over kids, toys, pocketbooks, or bags.
  • Make sure your smoke alarms are working. Test them by pushing the test button.

If things go wrong and you have a cooking fire…

  • Just get out! When you leave, close the door behind you to help contain the fire.  Then, call 911 or the local emergency number from outside the home.
  • If you try to fight the fire, be sure others are getting out, you have a clear path out of the home, and someone has called the fire department.
  • Keep a lid nearby when cooking to smother small grease fires. Smother the fire by sliding the lid over the pan and turning off the stovetop. Leave the pan covered until it is completely cooled.
  • For an oven fire, turn off the heat and keep the door closed

Source: National Fire Protection Association

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