Thanksgiving
Day has more than double the number of home cooking fires than an average day
according to the U.S. Fire Administration. In fact, each year more than 4,000 fires
occur on Thanksgiving Day. “Unattended cooking is the leading cause of
Thanksgiving Day home fires, and it’s easy to understand why,” said Red
Cross preparedness expert Heidi Taylor. “People can easily become
distracted and lose track of what’s happening in the kitchen when they are
enjoying spending time with family and friends.”

To
help prevent home fires this Thanksgiving, the Red Cross suggests the following
tips:

• Keep potholders and food wrappers at
  least three feet away from heat sources while cooking

• Wear tighter fitting clothing with
  shorter sleeves when cooking

• Make sure all stoves, ovens, and
  ranges have been turned off when you leave the kitchen

• Set timers to keep track of turkeys and
  other food items that require extended cooking times

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

• After guests leave, designate a
  responsible adult to walk around the home making sure that all candles and
  smoking materials are extinguished

Even
with the best preparation and precautions, accidents can happen. Thanksgiving
is high time for cooking related burns. Minor burns can be treated easily if
you remember to save the butter for the rolls and not a burn. For a superficial
burn, cool the area by running it under cold water until the heat eases and
then loosely cover the burn with a sterile dressing.

Courtesy American
Red Cross