Be Careful In The Kitchen This Thanksgiving
By: Stephen Crews
Updated: November 19, 2012
With
Thanksgiving
just around the corner, the American Red Cross Alabama Region encourages
families to prevent kitchen fires by taking some basic safety measures.
In the U.S., Thanksgiving is the peak day for cooking fires, 90 percent
of which are caused by unattended cooking.
"We
all think of Thanksgiving as a time for family, good food and football,
but it's also prime time for cooking fires," said Billy Baxter,
American Red Cross Alabama Region Executive Officer. "Taking a few
simple precautions can help everyone have a safe and happy holiday."
- Stay in the kitchen when you are frying, grilling or broiling food. If you leave the kitchen even for a short period of time, turn off the stove.
- Keep anything that can catch fire--potholders, wooden utensils, food wrappers or towels away from your stove top.
- Have a "kid- and pet-free zone" of at least 3 feet around the stove.
- Turn the handles of pots and pans on the stove inward to avoid accidents.
Follow safety tips year round
Install
smoke alarms on every level of the house and inside bedrooms. Replace
smoke alarm batteries at least once a year. Test each alarm
monthly by pushing the test button.
Create and practice a first escape plan. Ensure that household members know two ways to escape from every room.
If
a fire occurs in your home, get out, stay out and call 9-1-1. Crawl low
under smoke and stop, drop and roll if your clothes should
catch fire.
Visit www.redcross.org/homefires
for more information about fire safety and prevention. Also, check out this printable
checklist - perfect to help you protect your family and your home from fire hazards.
