Thanksgiving Fire Safety

11/17/2020 (Permalink)

This time of year it's more important than ever to pay attention to fire safety while home for the holidays. Check out these Thanksgiving Fire Facts from the National Fire Protection Association:

• Thanksgiving is the peak day for home cooking fires, followed by Christmas Day, the day before Thanksgiving, Easter, and Christmas Eve.
• In 2018, U.S. fire departments responded to an estimated 1,630 home cooking fires on Thanksgiving, the peak day for such fires.
• Unattended cooking was by far the leading contributing factor in cooking fires and fire deaths.
• Cooking caused almost half of all reported home fires and home fire injuries, and it is the second leading cause of home fire deaths in 2014-2018.

Please follow these safety tips while cooking in the kitchen and staying home during the holidays:

• Never leave children alone in room with a lit candle.
• Keep knives out of the reach of children.
• Stay in the kitchen when you are cooking on the stovetop so you can keep an eye on the food.
• Keep children away from the stove. The stove will be hot and kids should stay 3 feet away.
• 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.
• Make sure your smoke alarms are working. Test them by pushing the test button.
• Keep matches and utility lighters out of the reach of children — up high in a locked cabinet.

If you experience a fire or smoke damage this holiday season, call the professionals at SERVPRO of Chesterfield and SERVPRO of Tri-Cities Plus at 804-378-2323.