| Prepare for the Holiday Season! Did You Know? More cooking fires are reported on Thanksgiving than any other day of the year. Cooking is the leading cause of home fires and home fire injuries. To ensure the safety of yourself and your loved ones, it is essential to prioritize cooking safety during the holiday season. By following simple precautions, you can reduce the risk of fires and enjoy a safe and festive celebration. 4 TIPS to Protect your Family, Community, and/or Place of Worship. * Watch What You Cook: Fires can start when heat is too high. If you notice smoke or boiling grease, turn off the burner immediately. * Secure Pot Handles: Turn pot handles toward the back of the stove to prevent accidental spills or bumps. * Prepare for Emergencies: Keep a pan lid or baking sheet nearby to cover a pan if it catches fire. Turn off the heat and allow the pan to cool. * Clear the Stovetop: Keep flammable items away from the stovetop to minimize fire risks. For more information on cooking fire safety, visit usfa.fema.gov. |
Below are some Preparedness Tips on how you can have a Safe Holiday!
Cooking Safely
- Keep an eye on food when cooking. Unattended cooking is the leading factor in home cooking fires.
- Move things that can burn away from the stove. This includes dishtowels, bags, boxes, paper and curtains.
- Turn pot handles toward the back of the stove so no one can bump them or pull them over.
- In case of an oven fire, turn off the oven and keep the door closed until it’s cool.
- If you have a fire in your oven and the flames escape it, leave your home and call 911.
- Turkey fryers can tip over easily, make sure your it is on a sturdy, level surface and do not move it once it is in use. Make sure it is at least 10 feet from your home and not under roof eaves. For more tips on turkey fryers go to https://www.usfa.fema.gov
for tips on Traveling Safely, Decorating Safely and Shopping Safely, read full article
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| For most, the kitchen is the heart of the home, especially during the holidays. Keeping fire safety top of mind in the kitchen during this joyous but hectic time is important, especially when there’s a lot of activity and people at home. As you start preparing your holiday schedule and organizing that large family feast, remember, by following a few simple safety tips you can enjoy time with your loved ones and keep yourself and your family safer from fire. Thanksgiving is the peak day for home cooking fires with more than three times the daily average for such incidents. Christmas Day and Christmas Eve ranked second and third, with both having nearly twice the daily average. Unattended cooking was by far the leading contributing factor in cooking fires. Stay in the kitchen when you are cooking on the stove top so you can keep an eye on the food. Stay in the home when cooking your turkey, and check on it frequently. Keep children away from the stove. The stove will be hot and kids should stay three feet away. Be sure electric cords from an electric knife, coffee maker, plate warmer or mixer are not dangling off the counter within easy reach of a child. Make sure your smoke alarms are working. Test them by pushing the test button. More Thanksgiving Safety Tips from the National Fire Protection Association: Thanksgiving safety tips | NFPA |
