The Hoover Fire Department wishes you and your family a Safe and Happy Thanksgiving! Please see the following tips to keep your holiday safe.

Source: NFPA

I have to admit, it feels like yesterday that we were sunning on the beach and enjoying the spoils of summer, but here we are a week and a half away from one of the biggest cooking (and eating!) events of the year!

There’s no doubt Thanksgiving is a wonderful time of year for families and friends to get together. But because we spend so much time in the kitchen baking, roasting and sautéing our favorite foods, and usually amidst lots of activity and a house full of people, the risk for home cooking fires increases. According to NFPA’s latest report, home cooking fires peak on major U.S. holidays; Thanksgiving being the leading day for such fires. Did you know that almost four times the number of home cooking fires occurred on this holiday from 2010 – 2014?

“It’s often a combination of factors that contribute to an increased risk of home cooking fires on Thanksgiving,” says NFPA’s vice president of Outreach and Advocacy, Lorraine Carli. “People are preparing multiple dishes for many guests and there can be plenty of distraction in the home, which can make it all too easy to forget what’s on the stove,” she says. “That’s when cooking mishaps are most likely to occur.”

No matter what kitchen we find ourselves helping out in this Thanksgiving, we can all reduce our risk for injuries and damage caused by fires by following a handful of important safety tips. 

Safety tips
  • 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, pocketbooks 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.

 

Share this slide show with friends and family, your colleagues and even your neighbors. Find additional tips and resources, including statistics, infographics, videos and more to share on NFPA’s Thanksgiving webpage and cooking fire safety page.

Looking for some fun activities you and your family can do during the holiday? Check out Sparky’s activity page for lots of ideas that the younger members of the group will really enjoy!

As we head into the holidays season, enjoy your time with the ones you love and always remember to keep fire safety at the top of your priority list!