From MERCY HEALTH
More home cooking fires occur on Thanksgiving Day than any other day of the year, according to the National Fire Protection Association.
With an average of nearly 1,500 fires reported to US fire departments – a 240 percent increase above the average daily number of fires – Thanksgiving can quickly turn from a celebration to a catastrophe.
Mercy Health offers tips on how to stay safe on Thanksgiving Day when the home is likely to be filled with people and the kitchen will be the hub of activity.
“Thanksgiving is a wonderful time to celebrate and give thanks with family and friends. It is also a time when accidents happen that can lead to devastating injuries,” said Hannah Fairchild, Trauma & Burn Outreach, Education and Prevention Coordinator. “Make sure you pay close attention to everything going on in the kitchen to make sure your loved ones stay safe.”
First and foremost, try to keep young children out of the kitchen. Have fun activities, such as puzzles, games, or crafts for the kids to keep them occupied. You can also have kids help with recipes that don’t require them to be in the hectic kitchen.
Here are some more safety tips to remember this holiday season:
- Stay in the kitchen when you are cooking on the stovetop 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 3 feet away.
- Make sure kids stay away from hot food and liquids. The steam or splash from vegetables, gravy or coffee could cause serious burns.
- Keep the floor clear so you don’t trip over kids, toys, purses or bags.
- Keep knives out of the reach of children.
- 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.
- Keep matches and utility lighters out of the reach of children — up high in a locked cabinet.
- Never leave children alone in room with a lit candle.
- Make sure your smoke alarms are working. Test them by pushing the test button.
