Be Safe in the Kitchen This Thanksgiving

If you are like most Americans, you will likely be spending numerous hours in the kitchen over the Thanksgiving holiday. Unfortunately, that increased activity also leads to more chances of residential home fires, according to data from the National Fire Protection Association. According to reports, the Thanksgiving holiday sees three times the nation’s daily average in emergency fire accidents. Research shows that fires originating in the kitchen are the top reason for home fires and burn injuries. Last year, fire departments throughout the country replied to a median of almost 156,000 fires resulting  from cooking mishaps, which led to 390 deaths and 4,800 injuries, not to mention a whopping $771 million in property damages.

Keeping all this in mind, please follow a few simple fire prevention safety steps this Thanksgiving holiday when you and your family are in the kitchen:

• Keep items away from the stove or oven that may catch fire, including cloth mitts, wood items, and any kind of packaging. Other potential fire hazards to watch out for are rags or towels, aprons, clothes, and even drapes.
• Never leave the stove or oven unattended, even if you are walking away for a few seconds. Turn the heat off whenever you leave the room. Many fires start because an oven or stove is left unsupervised for a very short amount of time.
• Use timers to stay on top of cooking schedules and to avoid burning accidents that can result in fires.
• If you do happen to start a small fire in a pan or oven, immediately cover it with a metal or glass lid and turn the heat off. If it does not extinguish after 30 seconds, call the fire department for immediate assistance.

If you or someone you love has been injured in a Florida fire that was caused by another person’s negligence, please call a Florida Burn Injury Lawyer at Whittel & Melton as soon as possible at 866-608-5529 or contact us online for a complimentary consultation.

From all of us at Whittel & Melton, we wish you and your family a very happy and safe Thanksgiving holiday!