ASHI and MEDIC First Aid Blog

According to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), there are more than three times as many home cooking fires on Thanksgiving. In fact, it’s the peak day for home cooking fires for the entire year, with Christmas Day and Christmas Eve following close behind.

As part of your Thanksgiving food safety precautions, make sure you’re also taking steps to prevent home cooking fires during busy family celebrations.

Home cooking fire safety tips

The leading cause of kitchen fires is unattended cooking. And most cooking fires involve a stove.

The NFPA suggests the following home cooking safety precautions:

• Make sure smoke alarms are working by pushing the test button.

• Stay in the kitchen while you’re frying, boiling, grilling or broiling food. Turn off the stove if you need to leave the room, even if it’s for a short period of time.

• Remain inside your home while you’re simmering, baking or roasting food and check on it frequently.

• Set a timer as a reminder that you’re in the middle of cooking.

• Store any flammable items away from your stovetop, such as oven mitts, wooden utensils, food packaging and kitchen towels.

• Keep matches and lighters out of the reach of children.

The NFPA also strongly discourages the use of turkey fryers as they can cause a serious fire hazard and lead to severe injuries and significant property damage.

What to do if you have a small cooking fire

If you experience a small grease fire, the NFPA suggests smothering the flames by sliding a lid over the pan and turning off the burner. If you have an oven fire, turn off the heat and keep the door closed.

However, if you have any doubt about responding to a small cooking fire, immediately leave your home and call 911. Close any doors on your way out to help contain the fire to a smaller area.

For more holiday safety tips, check out how to prevent and respond to a choking incident during Thanksgiving.

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