Christmastime Fire Safety

12/20/2023 (Permalink)

Remember to practice safe cooking and baking habits this holiday season.

Christmastime may be the most wonderful time of the year but that also means it can be a bit hectic. There are lots of parties,  gift shopping, decorating, holiday movie watching, Christmas card writing, holiday pictures, Santa visits, baking and cooking.  

With the increase in baking and cooking comes the increased risk of kitchen fires. Here are the top fire cooking safety tips from the National Fire Protection Agency:

• Stay in the kitchen when you are cooking on the stove top so you can keep an eye on the food.
• Stay in the home when cooking your turkey, and check on it frequently.
• Keep children away from the stove. The stove will be hot and kids should stay three feet away.
• Make sure kids stay away from hot food and liquids. The steam or splash from vegetables, gravy or coffee could 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.
• Never leave children alone in room with a lit candle.
• Keep the floor clear so you don’t trip over kids, toys, pocketbooks or bags.
• Make sure your smoke alarms are working. Test them by pushing the test button. 

Lastly, apply your own common sense around safety in the kitchen. When in doubt about something, always err on the side of caution.

Enjoy the company of your family and friends this Christmas but make sure to take the proper safety precautions while cooking. If a kitchen fire does happened, SERVPRO of Toms River is open 24/7 to make it "Like it never even happened".