Jersey Coast Chapter Offers "Top Ten" Fire Safety Tips as Thanksgiving Nears

With Thanksgiving just around the corner, the Jersey Coast Chapter encourages families to prevent kitchen fires by taking some basic safety measures. In the U.S., Thanksgiving is the peak day for cooking fires, 90 percent of which are caused by unattended cooking.

We all think of Thanksgiving as a time for family, good food and football, but its also prime time for cooking fires. Taking a few simple precautions can help everyone have a safe and happy holiday.

To keep Thanksgiving fire-free, the public should follow these ten tips:
1. Stay in the kitchen when you are frying, grilling or broiling food. If you leave the kitchen even for a short period of time, turn off the stove.

2. If you are simmering, baking, roasting, or broiling food, check it regularly, remain in the home while food is cooking, and use a timer to remind you that you're cooking.

3. Be alert. You won't be alert if you are sleepy, have taken medicine or drugs, or consumed alcohol that makes you drowsy.

4. Keep anything that can catch fire - potholders, wooden utensils, food wrappers, towels or curtains - away from your stove top.

5. Make sure your sleeves are out of the way when cooking. Wear tighter fitting clothig with shorter sleeves.

6. Have a "kid-free zone" of at least 3 feet around the stove and areas where hot food or drink is prepared or carried.

7. Never hold a child while cooking, drinking or carrying hot foods or liquids.

8. Turn the handles of pots and pans on the stove inward to avoid accidents.

9. Keep pets off cooking surfaces and nearby countertops to prevent them from knocking things into the burner.

10. Test your smoke alarms by purshing the test button. Replace batteries at least once a year.

Have a Happy and Safe Thanksgiving!!!