Chief G. Edward Bradley and the Plymouth Fire Department would like to provide safety tips to ensure residents stay safe while baking and preparing their holiday meals over the coming weeks.
According to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), Thanksgiving is the peak day for home cooking fires, followed by Christmas Day, the day before Thanksgiving, Easter, and Christmas Eve.
“While people are discouraged from hosting large gatherings this season due to COVID-19, we would still like to share baking and cooking safety tips to prevent possible home cooking fires from occurring,” Chief Bradley said. “While preparing holiday meals, residents should be aware of their surroundings and any fire hazards that may be in the area.”
To prevent any seasonal cooking home fires, the Plymouth Fire Department wishes to share the following tips from the NFPA so families can prepare holiday meals without the risk of tragedy:
- Never leave anything cooking unattended.
- Stay home when cooking your turkey, and check on it frequently.
- Keep children and pets away from the stove. Kids and pets should be kept three feet away from the stove.
- Make sure kids stay away from hot food and liquids. The steam or splash from vegetables, gravy or coffee can 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.
- Keep the kitchen and dining room floor clear so you don’t trip over kids, toys, pocketbooks or bags while cooking or handling food.
- Test your smoke alarms and make sure their batteries are replaced if needed.
If you have any questions about home cooking safety, please contact the Plymouth Fire Department at 508-830-4213.
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