Thanksgiving is the peak day for home-cooking fires, Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department officials remind local residents. According to the National Fire Protection Association, Thanksgiving Day has more than three times the daily average for such incidents.
Fire and Rescue Department officials want the public to have a safe and happy holiday and offer these safety tips:
• Have a “kid-free zone” of at least 3 feet around the stove and areas where hot food or drink is prepared or carried.
• Wear short or tight-fitting sleeves when cooking. Long, loose sleeves are more likely to catch on fire or get caught on pot handles.
• Keep things that can catch fire, such as dish towels, curtains or paper, at least 3 feet away from the stove.
• Do not leave cooking food unattended. If you leave the kitchen, even for a short time, turn off the stove.
• Turn pot handles inward, facing the wall, to prevent burns caused by overturning or spills.
• Pot holders or oven mitts prevent burns when handling hot dishes.
• Regularly clean your cooking equipment so cooking materials, food items or grease do not accumulate.
• Always keep an oven mitt and lid nearby when you are cooking. If a small grease fire starts in a pan, put on an oven mitt and smother the flames by carefully sliding the lid over the pan. Turn off the burner. Do not remove the lid until it is completely cool.
• If there is an oven fire, turn off the heat and keep the door closed to prevent flames from burning you and your clothing. Have the oven serviced before you use it again.
