Kitchens are going to be busy this Thanksgiving, so it is important to practice safety precautions to ensure that festivities are not interrupted by an unwelcome fire. In fact, the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) reports that more than three times as many home cooking fires occur on Thanksgiving as a typical day of the year, which makes it the leading day for U.S. home cooking fires.
An unforeseen fire on Thanksgiving does not only disrupt the celebration, but also results to property damage which often requires the intervention of an expert fire damage restorer, such as the professionals of ServiceMaster by PWF. Thankfully, risks can be reduced with proper planning and precaution. For Thanksgiving to remain safe and enjoyable, ServiceMaster by PWF discusses important safety tips in this article to prevent common mistakes that may cause a fire to break out in the home.
Facts about Thanksgiving Fires
- As mentioned, most home cooking fires occur on Thanksgiving. It is followed by Christmas Day, Christmas Eve, and the day before Thanksgiving.
- An estimated 1, 600 home cooking fires on Thanksgiving were responded to by U.S. fire departments in 2017.
- The leading cause of cooking fires and related deaths was unattended cooking.
How to Prevent Fires on Thanksgiving Day
The NFPA reports that cooking is the leading cause of reported home fires all year round. Since most Thanksgiving fires are centered around cooking, here are some tips to keep it safe on Turkey Day.
- Stay in the kitchen. In order to focus on cooking and not leave any food or appliance unattended, it is advised to remain in the kitchen. Keep an eye on any food being cooked on a stove, and remain inside the home when cooking turkey, checking on it frequently. Stay in the kitchen until all the cooking is finished, and if there is a need to leave it, turn off the stove or appliances used.
- Use a timer. This is to keep track of cooking times, especially for foods that take a long time to cook. It is advised to place timers in different rooms to hear them over loud parties or music.
- Wear proper clothing. Avoid wearing loose or billowy clothing and dangling sleeves. These can cause spills, get stained, or even catch fire when they come into contact with an open flame.
- Avoid cooking when sleepy or when drinking alcohol.
- Keep combustible materials away from any heat source. Items such as oven mitts and pot holders could catch fire if placed too close to a source of heat.
- Keep children away. Children might want to take part in the food preparations, but it would be safer if they are kept away from the action. Keep knives, lighters, matches, and other potentially dangerous items out of reach. Establish a three-foot distance between the children and the stove and do not leave them alone in rooms with lighted candles.
- Manage power cords. Ensure that electrical cords are not dangling off the counter and easily reached by a child. Also, plug appliances directly to a wall socket instead of using an extension cord.
- Keep surroundings clean. Keep the floor clean to minimize tripping over things.
- Clean surfaces and turn off equipment. Grease can accumulate throughout the day, so make sure to wipe all surfaces down to prevent a fire risk. At the end of the day, all cooking equipment must be turned off and unplugged.
Other Fire Safety Tips
- Inspect fire alarms before Thanksgiving Day. Make sure that smoke alarms and detectors are working properly. Test them by pushing the test button; get this done before Thanksgiving. Replace batteries as needed.
- Keep a fire extinguisher nearby. When a fire does break out in the kitchen or anywhere in the house, having a fire extinguisher nearby to douse the flames quickly can save you from significant loss and destruction. However, fire extinguishers are only effective for fires that can be contained. If a fire goes out of control, exit the building and alert the fire department immediately.
Call ServiceMaster by PWF of Northeast Florida for Comprehensive Fire Damage Restoration Services
By keeping these safety tips in mind, you can help avoid any accidents this Thanksgiving. However, if a fire still breaks out despite careful precautions, you will need the assistance of experienced fire damage professionals. ServiceMaster by PWF is here to help you through every step of the entire fire restoration process, and will perform the necessary content cleaning; smoke, soot and odor removal; and fire damage repair to return your home to pre-disaster condition.
We are a licensed General Contractor and an IICRC-certified firm, and we have skilled, well-trained, and experienced technicians. Call us at (866) 599-0871 today or message us at https://www.servicemasterbypwf.com/contact-us/.
ServiceMaster by PWF services St. Augustine, Jacksonville, Pinellas, Clearwater, St. Petersburg, Green Cove Springs, Ponte Vedra Beach, Fleming Island, Dunedin, Largo, and other parts of Pinellas, St. Johns, Duval, and Clay County. Our Emergency and Disaster Service Division is on call 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and responds quickly to property fire or water damage disaster.
