Turkey, Pie, and Fires: Home Safety on Thanksgiving
Thanksgiving is the time of year where you and your family can sit down and give thanks for all the great things in your lives. Love, good health, a stable job, and a roof over your head are just some in the very long list of what to be thankful for. However, even though Thanksgiving is a time of family and good cooking, several serious accidents can occur due to oversight. We’ve provided a few of the most common Thanksgiving accidents, and how to better be able to prevent them.
Deep frying your turkey. We’re sure that most of you know about this method of cooking your turkey (as it is VERY tasty), but it is the most common way to start a house fire on Thanksgiving. First, make sure that the turkey is defrosted properly, and make sure to set up your fryer outside. No, not in your garage, but outside, at least 10 feet from your house on flat ground. Never leave it unattended, ask someone else to check the score of the game, or have someone cover for you. Also, it is good practice to keep a fire extinguisher handy in case things do not go as planned. You may lose the turkey, but you’ll at least still have your house (and pie…hopefully).
Smoke alarms. No matter how good of a cook you are (as we’re sure that you’re an excellent cook), it is always good practice to keep the smoke alarms on. That green bean casserole that was left in the oven half-an-hour too long will make the alarms go off, but DO NOT turn them off to cancel the noise. In case something else burns while you’re not looking (like the turkey), you’ll be caught off guard and less prepared to fight a fire.
Don’t leave home. This may seem redundant, but one of the main causes of Thanksgiving fires is unattended cooking, especially by those who just leave their home. Whatever it is can wait until someone else is home to watch the turkey. If you seriously cannot wait, turn off the oven, then go out; you can pick up where you left off later.
In 2014, there were over 1,298,000 fires reports, as per the National Fire Protection Agency, with the highest percentage taking place on Thanksgiving. Do not let your home become a statistic this holiday, it is the last thing we would want for you. Just follow our tips, use common sense, and keep a fire extinguisher handy, and you’ll be just fine.
From all of us at American Dream Realty of South Jersey, we wish you and your families a very happy Thanksgiving!
