Did you know that Thanksgiving is a peak day for cooking fires? 1,760 home fires were reported in 2015 due to unattended cooking. There are over 166,000 fires yearly in the United States due to unattended cooking! This is a staggering number! Ranges or cook tops account for 3 out of every 5 reported fires where ovens account for 13% of the fires. 10% of fires are caused by something being too close to the equipment like clothing, a dish towel or oven mitt, plastic even wooden spoons. Always roll up your sleeves, tie back long hair or remove long clothing that could catch on fire. Keep kids out of the kitchen on this very busy day!
Never leave the kitchen if you are frying food on the stove top or in a piece of equipment. Clean surfaces often as grease builds up. Always have a fire extinguisher in your kitchen and make sure you know how to use it well before an emergency. Always check the kitchen before going to bed to make sure everything is off and safe.
Most injuries occur when trying to extinguish the fire. Here is some important information:

Steps to put out a grease fire:

1. Turn off source of heat (burner / element).
2. Do NOT pour water on it.
3. Let me say that again, DO NOT pour water on it.
4. Attempt to remove all oxygen from the flame. You can cover with another pot, or baking pan.
5. If you can’t cover it, dump baking soda (lots of it) on it.

Here’s three ways depending on where the fire happens to be, and what tools you have on hand:

1. Use a non-glass lid or baking sheet (for stove-top fires): …
2. Use salt or baking soda (for oven fires): …
3. Use a non-water fire extinguisher (stove-top or oven fires):

Here are some additional tips from NFPA (National Fire Protection Association):
Safety tips

• 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 3 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 the floor clear so you don’t trip over kids, toys, pocketbooks or bags.
• 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.
• Make sure your smoke alarms are working. Test them by pushing the test button.