Thanksgiving and the day before are the highest chances of cooking fires to happen in the U.S., according to the National Fire Protection Agency, with more than three times the daily average of incidents reported.
The American Red Cross Indiana Region is offering some safety tips to consider while preparing this year’s feast to prevent your kitchen from being part of the statistics.
- Stay in the kitchen when you are frying, grilling or broiling food. If you must leave the kitchen, turn off the stove.
- Use a timer to remind yourself that the stove or oven is on.
- Avoid wearing loose clothing or dangling sleeves while cooking.
- Keep kids and pets at least 3 feet away from cooking areas.
- Keep anything that can catch fire away from your stove top and oven or any other appliance that generates heat.
- Clean cooking surfaces on a regular basis to prevent grease buildup.
- Consider purchasing a fire extinguisher to keep in your kitchen.
- Always check the kitchen before going to bed or leaving home to make sure all stoves, ovens and small appliances are turned off.
Installing a smoke alarm near your kitchen, on each level of your home, near sleeping areas and inside and outside bedrooms to notify you of a fire. The Red Cross recommends testing it each month and replacing the batteries at least once per year.
To learn more, visit redcross.org/fire.
This reporting is made possible by a grant from the Indianapolis African-American Quality of Life Initiative, empowering our community with essential health insights. https://iaaqli.org/
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Contact Health & Environmental Reporter Hanna Rauworth at 317-762-7854 or follow her on Instagram at @hanna.rauworth.
