Kitchen Safety Tips for Thanksgiving Day

Thanksgiving Day is a time for families to bond and enjoy fun times together, but unfortunately for some, it ends in tragedy. The United States Fire Administration reports that residential fires occur 2.3 times more on Thanksgiving than any other day. We want everyone to have a memorable Thanksgiving for happy reasons and not sad. So, here are some tips to help you navigate the day safely.

Remain Alert When Cooking in the Kitchen

This tip may seem ridiculous, but you’d be surprised just how careless some people can be. Cooking fires are the leading cause of residential fires on Thanksgiving Day at 77 percent. Follow these tips to reduce the possibility of injuries or fires in your kitchen.

• Remain in the kitchen when using the stove or oven as much as you can.
• Don’t leave the house when cooking the Turkey. Check on it regularly.
• If you must leave the kitchen when cooking, set a timer so you don’t forget to check the food.
• Turn pot and skillet handles inward so that children can’t knock or jostle then off the stovetop. Spilled food can cause severe burns.
• Keep children away from the oven, stove, hot liquids, and food.
• Keep all knives out of reach so children can’t access them.
• Keep the cords of electronics and kitchen appliances from dangling in reach of children.
• Keep flammable materials such as wooden utensils, towels, and oven mitts away from cooking areas.

Proactive Security Precautions Help Keep You Safe

Being proactive with your home security and safety is critical and may save someone’s life one day. You can prevent fires by keeping your stovetop and oven clean. Dust and grease increase the likelihood of a fire.

Test your smoke alarms regularly to make sure the batteries are still working. Simply press the button on the detector to test it.

Be Careful When Deep-frying Your Turkey

Deep-frying the Thanksgiving Turkey has increased in popularity, but there are many hazards with this process. If you choose this method to cook the turkey, keep these safety tips in mind.

• To prevent an eye injury from hot oil, wear safety goggles.
• Never try to extinguish a grease fire with water. Make sure there’s an all-purpose fire extinguisher close.
• Don’t ever use your deep fryer in a garage, on a wooden deck, under a patio, or any other enclosed space.
• Keep pets and children at least three feet away from the fryer.
• You should only use fryers on a solid, level surface away from anything that could burn.
• It’s important to make sure that the turkey is completely thawed before you put it in the fryer. It can cause an explosion.

Follow these tips for a safe Thanksgiving filled with great memories and happiness. Read here for more residential safety tips.

About DEPS Security Systems

Thomas Vermillion founded Down East Protection Systems in 2000 to increase the company’s offerings after decades of providing quality monitored fire and burglar alarm products. The company’s mission is “to provide peace of mind by protecting people and property with competence and compassion.” They strive every day to offer the best and most innovative products and services to customers in Eastern North Carolina. https://depssecuritygroup.com/