Celebrate Thanksgiving Safely with These Tips

Kidde is encouraging families to keep safety top of mind this Thanksgiving. According to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), more than three times as many home cooking fires occur on Thanksgiving Day than on a typical day, making kitchen fire safety awareness and prevention critical to keeping families and pets safe. Kidde, a leading manufacturer of residential smoke alarms, carbon monoxide alarms, fire extinguishers and safety accessories, is part of Carrier Global Corporation (NYSE: CARR), a leading global provider of healthy, safe and sustainable building and cold chain solutions.

The NFPA notes that unattended cooking is one of the leading causes of home cooking fires: 31% of fires are related to cooking equipment, leading to 53% of deaths and 44% of injuries associated with cooking. Additionally, the NFPA reports that having flammable objects too close to cooking equipment is a culprit in 9% of cooking fires, and a cause of 15% of cooking deaths.

"Thanksgiving is typically a day of joyous hustle and bustle in the home. Even if we're only hosting a small number of people this year, it's all too easy to get distracted while cooking," said Stephanie Berzinski, marketing and communications director, Kidde. "However, it's critical that people stay alert while cooking and keeping their cooking area clear of any potential hazards in order to keep their families, pets and holiday guests safe."

Kidde offers the following cooking safety tips to follow before, during and after the holiday:

Before Thanksgiving

Clean your oven, toaster oven, stovetop and other appliances, removing crumbs or leftover grease.

Ensure you have a kitchen fire extinguisher and that you know how to use it. Keep it behind you while cooking so you don't have to reach over flames if you need it. Do not store it in a cabinet next to your cooktop.

Test your smoke alarms to ensure they are up-to-date and working properly; replace batteries or alarms if needed. Smoke alarms should be replaced every 10 years and installed 10 feet away from cooking appliances. A smoke alarm designed specifically for the kitchen will reduce false alarms while cooking.

Make sure that you have ample outlets to plug in appliances, if needed. Overloading wall outlets or power strips may cause an electrical fire, so if you need several appliances and don't have enough space to plug them all in, carefully plan when you will use each one. Also, ensure that your cords aren't frayed and that they don't have bare wires.

If you plan to fry a turkey, set up your deep fryer outside your home, never inside. Plan in advance to have a fresh or fully thawed turkey; never place a frozen turkey, or even a partially frozen turkey, in a fryer. Exercise extreme caution when using a turkey fryer to prevent burns and other injuries.

During Thanksgiving

Remain in the kitchen while cooking food, whether you're simmering, roasting, baking or broiling. If you're cooking on the stovetop with oil, you'll need to give the dish your undivided attention to ensure that the oil doesn't splatter or the dish doesn't burn.

Regularly check on the items in your oven to ensure they don't burn. Consider using a timer to remind you to check on your food.

Avoid distractions while cooking, like your cell phone, conversations with guests or drinking alcoholic beverages.

Keep flammable items clear of the cooking area; this includes pot holders, oven mitts, wooden utensils and towels.

Avoid wearing long sleeves or loose clothing that could catch fire from an oven burner or another heat source.

Make your cooking area safe for children and pets, as they may be burned by touching hot cooking equipment or scalded by hot liquids.

• Ideally, keep a three-foot "safe zone" around the cooking area where children and pets may not enter.
• Turn pot and pan handles inward so children and pets cannot knock them over.
• Pay attention to objects such as stove knobs and hot appliances that curious children and pets may touch. Remove leftover food from the stove to deter pets from jumping up to eat it, as they can accidentally turn on a burner. (The NFPA estimates that family pets start)

Know what to do in the event you have a kitchen fire:

• If you have a fire in the oven, don't open the oven door. Turn off your oven and let the contents cool completely before cleaning it. If flames escape the oven, evacuate your home and call 911 immediately.
• If you have a fire on the stove, try to extinguish it in place. Use a kitchen fire extinguisher, a lid or cookie sheet to safely smother the flames. Then, turn off the burner/stovetop and let the pan completely cool. Never throw water on a grease fire, as it can make the fire grow. If you can't contain the fire, evacuate your home and call 911 immediately.

After Thanksgiving

As you did before the holiday, clean your oven, toaster oven, stovetop and other appliances; ensure you remove any crumbs or leftover grease.

For more fire and carbon monoxide safety tips for your family and pets, visit kidde.com.