Turkey Day is almost here, which means delicious food, time spent with loved ones, and more travelers in the air and on the roads. To ensure this Thanksgiving is a joyous one, it’s important to remind residents of key safety tips. We’ll be sharing tips for hosting and traveling in this two-part blog series. Today we’ll focus on important safety tips for residents who will be hosting Thanksgiving at their place.
Fire safety
According to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), Thanksgiving is the peak day for home cooking fires, followed by Christmas Day, Christmas Eve, and the day before Thanksgiving. On Thanksgiving of 2016, U.S. fire departments responded to an estimated 1,570 home cooking fires. Cooking causes 69% of Thanksgiving Day fires and the majority of those fires occur as a result of unattended cooking.
Keep your family, friends, and home safe this Thanksgiving by following these fire prevention tips:
- Never leave cooking food unattended, even if it’s just for a few minutes, and never ever leave your house while food is cooking
- Keep potholders, towels, and paper towels far away from burners and avoid wearing loose fitting clothes while cooking
- Keep a fire extinguisher in the kitchen
- In case of an oven fire, keep the door closed and call 911
- If a fire starts on your stove, put a cover on the pan or spray it with your fire extinguisher. Never douse the flames with water or flour.
- Ensure your smoke and carbon monoxide detectors are working
- Double check that all cooking appliances are turned off and unplugged before going to bed
Avoid turkey fryers
While delicious, frying your turkey is very dangerous. According to Fox News, fires from deep-fryers are responsible for five deaths, 60 injuries, the destruction of 900 homes, and more than $15-million in property damage, yikes! The NFPA goes on to say, “turkey fryers that use cooking oil, as currently designed, are not suitable for safe use by even a well-informed and careful consumer.
Based on that, it’s recommended that you avoid frying a turkey all together. If you do decide to take the risk and fry your turkey, never do so indoors and ensure the fryer is a safe distance from buildings and flammable objects. Only fry your turkey if it is completely thawed and dry.
Prevent food poisoning
It’s important to follow proper care and prepare of food to avoid food borne illnesses this holiday season. The biggest culprit for food poisoning on Thanksgiving is the turkey. From safely defrosting the turkey to handling and cooking it, we recommend checking out an article from the CDC on preparation tips.
The turkey isn’t the only thing that can make you and your guests sick. The risk of food poisoning increases when food sits out for more than a few hours at temperatures between 40 and 140 degrees Fahrenheit. For those bringing hot dishes to the party, it’s recommended they cook it completely the day before, keep it properly refrigerated overnight, bring it to the party in a cooler, and reheat it once at the destination. When preparing sides, make sure they’re kept in an insulated container to keep them hot if they’ll be sitting out for a while.
Sharing tips like these is one simple way to improve resident experience in your communities. For more tips, download our free six-step guide!
