In Virginia Woolf’s telling, “One cannot think well, love well, sleep well, if one has not dined well.”
However, to dine well, especially on Thanksgiving Day, you must do so safely, but there is one major hazard that stands alone in preventing it.
Unattended stovetop cooking.
Thanksgiving Day is easily the worst day for home-cooking fires. Unattended kitchens are not only the top reason for them, but kitchen fires are also the leading cause of all U.S. house fires and injuries from them. An estimated 1,610 home-cooking fires occur nationally on Thanksgiving Day, a staggering 399% more than the average day’s 404 blazes, according to the National Fire Protection Association.
It is among the reasons Southern California Edison joins fire departments nationwide in urging caution and preventive measures on a day 46 million turkeys will be eaten and fires and electrical hazards lead to an average of five fatalities, 25 injuries and $26 million in property damage.
“No matter the many distractions on Thanksgiving Day, we should never leave frying and stovetop cooking unattended, not even briefly,” said Ted Gribble, SCE principal manager of Enterprise Risk Management and Public Safety. “If you need to leave it, or the house, for even a few moments, turn off the stove or get someone to watch it. It is critical to safely avoiding very preventable fires.”
These fire-safety warnings also extend to avoiding the second-biggest cause of cooking fires — abandoned materials like grease buildup and cooking oil — that cause fires in unattended kitchens.
Though cooking is the leading cause of home fires, damaged appliance cords can also lead to fires and electrical accidents. They should be immediately replaced and never used since they no longer properly protect against shock or potential injury and could also spark a fire.
And for fried turkey lovers, UL Solutions still refuses to certify turkey fryers and recommends against using them at home because they can lead to severe burns and property damage. UL Solutions and the fire association both recommend people instead use air fryers or deep-fried turkey sellers, restaurants, grocers and food retailers.
Here are some additional dos and don’ts for celebrating Thanksgiving safely:
THANKSGIVING DOS:
- When cooking a turkey, remain at home and check it regularly.
- Smother a small grease fire by sliding a lid over the pan and turning off the burner.
- For an oven fire, turn off the heat and keep the door closed. If the fire is not quickly extinguished, leave the house and call 911.
- Always have working smoke detectors and a properly rated fire extinguisher.
- Keep children and pets at least 3 feet away from the stove.
- Check that everything is turned off when finished.
THANKSGIVING DON’TS:
- Never use water on a grease fire.
- Never keep anything combustible — oven mitts or towels — near the stovetop.
- Never plug more than one large appliance like a refrigerator into an outlet.
- Never plug large appliances like refrigerators into extension cords.
- Never connect two extension cords to extend their length.
- Never let electrical cords dangle off counters within easy reach of children and pets.
- Never place electrical cords in high-traffic areas and under rugs.