Thanksgiving is quickly approaching. Each year, cooking fires occur 3 to 4 times more on Thanksgiving Day than on a typical day. This could be due to the fact there are multiple dishes being made at once or other distractions that make it easy to forget what is cooking on the stove or in the oven.
Some tips to follow while preparing for the holiday include:
• Never leave the kitchen while cooking on the stovetop.
• When cooking a turkey, remain at home and check the turkey often.
• Use timers to keep track of cooking times.
• Keep anything that can catch fire such as dish towels or oven mitts at least 3 feet away from the cooking area.
• Keep sleeves rolled up or wear short sleeves so they do not touch a burner and catch on fire.
• Always cook with a lid beside your pan. If there is a fire, slide the lid over the pan and turn the burner off. Let the pan cool completely before removing the lid.
• Turn pot handles away from the edge of the stove.
• For oven fires, turn off the heat and keep the door closed. Open the door only when the fire is out. If you have concerns, call the fire department for assistance.
• Keep children at least 3 feet away from the stove or oven. The steam or splash from vegetables, gravy or other hot liquids could cause serious burns.
• Make sure your smoke alarms are working.
In addition, NFPA® strongly discourages the use of turkey fryers. Grocery stores, food retailers or restaurants often sell deep fried turkeys, which can be a safe alternative to frying one at home.
Original source can be found here.
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