Important Fire Safety Tips for Thanksgiving and throughout Year

Did you know that more fires occur on Thanksgiving Day than on any other day of the year? And most of these Thanksgiving fires start as kitchen fires.

Cambridge Fire Departments hopes you enjoy the holidays as safely as possible this year and offers the following fire safety tips:

• Always pay attention when cooking.
• Stay in or near the kitchen when cooking on the stove, oven, or microwave. An unattended cooking fire can extend and spread rapidly.
• Cooking while drinking too much alcohol is never a good idea.
• Ensure that all combustibles are kept away from the cook top and heat source. This includes potholders, paper goods, dish towels, storage containers, and plastic tools.
• Leave pot handles turned inward so no one can accidentally bump the handle and knock the pan over.
• Wear short sleeves or tight clothing. Loose sleeves can catch fire.
• Eliminate trip hazards in the kitchen.
• Keep the kids & pets away from the stove.
• For older kids, let them participate, teaching them to cook safely.
• For fire in a pan on the stove, safely slide a cover or cookie sheet over it and turn off the heat source. This will snuff out the fire.
• For a fire in the oven, leave the oven door closed and turn off the heat.
• For an out-of-control stove or oven fire, alert others to get out, and call 911 from a safe place.
• For a serious burn injury, turn off the heat source, cool the burn area, and call 911.
• As always ensure that your smoke and CO detectors are working and have an emergency exit plan.

Following the tips above can help prevent fires and injuries. Enjoy and stay safe!

For more information and to download safety tips, visit the National Fire Protection Association's Webpage on Seasonal Fire Causes.