Cook Safely This Thanksgiving In Rhode Island: Tips To Avoid Fire

Thanksgiving is a busy day in most American households, and while most Rhode Islanders won't be juggling cooking with a house full of guests this year due to pandemic restrictions, local fire departments and the American Red Cross are encouraging everyone to be aware and take precautions to stay safe.

According to the National Fire Protection Association, Thanksgiving is the number one day of the year for house fires, followed by Christmas, the day before Thanksgiving, Easter and Christmas Eve. The American Red Cross identified unattended cooking as a major cause of holiday kitchen fires. As many as 70 percent of Americans admitted to leaving food unattended while cooking, according to a survey conducted by the organization earlier this year.

"Safety should be the number one concern among residents this holiday season," South Kingstown Fire Chief Steven Pinch said. "The holidays can be a very busy and stressful time, so we are asking residents to review the following holiday cooking tips, so they can keep their families safe from injuries and their home safe from a fire emergency."

The department provided the following safety tips to keep in mind when preparing Thanksgiving dinner, even if it's just for members of the immediate household.

• Never leave anything cooking unattended.
• Stay home when cooking your turkey, and check on it frequently.
• Keep children and pets away from the stove. Kids and pets should be kept 3 feet away from the stove.
• Make sure kids stay away from hot food and liquids. The steam or splash from vegetables, gravy or coffee can cause serious burns.
• Keep knives out of the reach of children.
• Be sure electric cords from an electric knife, coffee maker, plate warmer or mixer are not dangling off the counter within easy reach of a child.
• Keep matches and utility lighters out of the reach of children — up high in a locked cabinet.
• Keep the kitchen and dining room floor clear so you don’t trip over kids, toys, pocketbooks or bags while cooking or handling food.
• Test your smoke alarms and make sure their batteries are replaced if needed.