The holidays are a time for family, friends, fun, and lots of delicious food. Unexpected fires are not on anyone’s holiday to-do list. Unfortunately, cooking-related fires make up the majority of home fires, with an average of 455 occurring every day.
Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve, and Christmas have the highest number of kitchen fires of any days in the year, with four times as many fires occurring on Thanksgiving than on an average day. As your insurance company, we want to help you and your family have a great holiday!
Here are some tips to make sure a fire doesn’t ruin your holiday season:
- Keep flammable items away from the stovetop and oven. This includes oven mitts, dish towels, and food packaging.
- Avoid wearing loose clothing while cooking, which may catch fire if it comes in contact with burners.
- Do not leave pots and pans on the stove unattended. Stay in the kitchen while the stovetop is in use so you can keep an eye on the food. If you have something in the oven, set a timer or reminder on your phone so you don’t forget it.
- Keep the floor clear of any tripping hazards. Clean up any spills right away, and have the pets hang out in a different room.
- Stay alert while cooking. If you’re drinking alcohol or feeling too tired, consider letting someone else take charge.
- Use extreme caution when handling hot food and liquid. Burns can be caused by coming in contact with hot containers or food, or even just the steam from the dishes.
- When setting the table, place hot dishes towards the middle, where guests are less likely to knock them over.
- Keep children away from the stove, oven, and countertop cooking appliances like slow cookers and air fryers.
Even when you’re being appropriately cautious, there is still a chance an injury or fire could happen. In the event of an accident, here are some tips to follow:
- In the event of a painful burn, contact your doctor, go to an urgent care facility, or, in the case of a very serious burn, go to the emergency room.
- In the event of a kitchen fire, do not pour water on it. Water can cause hot oil to splash and spread the fire.
- If a pan on the stove catches fire, slide a lid over the pan and turn off the stovetop. Allow the pan to cool completely before handling it again.
- You can use baking soda to extinguish small grease fires.
- If the oven catches fire, turn off the heat and keep the oven door closed.
- In the event of a large fire with heavy smoke and heat that is rapidly spreading, get out! Leave the kitchen and close any doors you can to slow spread. Once everyone is safely out of the house, call 911.
At Kamm Insurance Group, you and your family’s holiday cheer is important to us. We hope you all have a wonderful and safe holiday season this year. We all have so much to be grateful for, and we wish you all the best!
Sources: https://fireavert.com/holiday-cooking-safety/
https://www.pcfd.org/guides/cooking-safety-tips-for-the-holidays/
