Thanksgiving is a time for great food, and spending quality time with family and friends. We all know the kitchen is the heart of the home, especially at Thanksgiving, so it is important you practice kitchen safety. With so much activity and people around, it can be easy to be distracted.

Thanksgiving is the leading day for home fires involving cooking equipment, with 3 times the average number.

To ensure the safety of your loved ones, as well protecting your home, we offer some simple precautionary cooking and kitchen fire safety tips to follow:

• Keep a lid nearby when you’re cooking to smother small grease fires. Leave the pan covered until it is completely cooled.
• Stay in the kitchen when you are cooking on the stovetop so you can keep an eye on the food.
• Keep kids away from cooking areas by enforcing a “kid-free zone” of three feet around the stove.
• Make sure kids stay away from hot food and liquids. The steam or splash from vegetables, gravy or coffee could cause serious burns.
• Keep knives out of the reach of children.
• Stay in the home when cooking your turkey and check on it frequently.
• Make sure your smoke alarms are working.
• Avoid wearing loose clothing or dangling sleeves while cooking.
• If you must use a turkey fryer, make sure it is outdoors and in an open area away from all walls, fences or other structures that could catch on fire and away from moisture that can cause serious burns from steam or splattering hot oil.
• Have activities that keep kids out of the kitchen during this busy time. Games, puzzles or books can keep them busy.
• Keep anything that can catch on fire—pot holders, oven mitts, wooden utensils, paper or plastic bags, food packaging, and towels or curtains—away from your stove top and oven or any other appliance in the kitchen that generates heat.

For more information on home to keep your home safe, call OceanPoint Insurance at 401-847-5200.